"Snowqueen" by Megan Frauenhoffer

Megan Frauenhoffer

Megan Frauenhoffer received her BFA in studio art and printmaking from Missouri State University before moving to the land of ice and snow (Minnesota) to pursue her MFA in Visual Studies at Minneapolis College of Art and Design. Frauenhoffer, who lived in SGF for six years, has been featured in exhibits from L.A. to Miami to Denmark. She is among the artists featured at the SGF stop for FIND Art Across America on May 16 at LemonDrop.

TAG: Your drawings are very detailed, you also work in other mediums. Describe your art for anybody who is going to see it for the first time at FIND Art Across America.

Megan Frauenhoffer: My art explores emotions that hide between reality and the subconscious. Each image becomes a reverie that reflect on the effects of awkwardness, confusion, anger, grief, or loneliness. These moments of contemplation are infused with fantastical tales culturally embedded from our childhoods. I use folktale allusions to connect to wider understanding of struggle and growth as well as reinvent the story’s outcome. The use of creatures alludes to the individual’s subconscious impulses and the primal animal natural in all of us. In the art I use a combination of illustrative detailing, emotive marks, dark imagery, and ethereal environments using printmaking and drawing media. The medium of printmaking allows me to create those unusual marks based on the photo-exposure process for the stencil creation of silkscreen or the obsessive carving away of linoleum for relief printing. These processes contribute to the expressive qualities of the figure as well as the ability to make multiples which I experiment with collage, print variations, and monoprints.

"Mixed Blessings" by Megan Frauenhoffer

TAG: Some of your work shows subjects frequently seen in art (birds, fish, women, etc.), but not (for lack of a better term) traditionally. What are your favorite subjects to draw and what inspires how you present them?

M.F.: One of the last subjects I drew was my dog who was recently put down. That print has more psychological depth and emotional draw than my recent works. I also had a thing for bees/wasps because of my aversion but also fascination of those insects. I’m mostly inspired by fables and myths in my images and often imbue my subjects with mythological powers or have them caught in a moment of transformation or entropy. I don’t ever want to have a pretty picture, something always needs to be off kilter.

TAG: When did you realize you could be an artist when you grew up?

M.F.: I guess when I picked it as my major in college… late in the game, eh? I suppose I always thought of it as a hobby before, but then I never envisioned myself as anything else. After the decision was made, I became fully committed to learning everything I can to be successful.

TAG: What/who inspired you to follow the path? Have you always been drawing?

M.F.: My parents have been very influential and supportive of my decision to be an artist. Both had inclinations in life to follow a dream but were discouraged from it because of practicality or society telling them it wasn’t their place. When I was little, my mom used to bribe me with new coloring books to get me to clean my room. Growing up, I found drawing by myself easier than socializing with classmates. I stuck to my strengths.

TAG: What’s your favorite spot to create?

M.F.: My studio is where the artworks takes off. I need a decent drafting table and a place that’s shut away from distractions and people. When I’m printing, I use a printmaking shop, which is a completely different territory. It’s usually a co-op situation where people are constantly using the same space. In graduate school, I would use the shop at 2 am – 7 am so I could spread out and not be around people when I was printing.

TAG: Do you have any nuances before you get started or is it grab a canvas and go?

M.F.: I’m not a clean freak, but if there’s clutter in my work space, I have to clean and organize until it doesn’t distract me anymore. I hate when I can’t find the right ink I need or my PVA glue and glue brushes. I’m also clumsy with my supplies. If I don’t have them put away, I’ll inevitably knock them over on my drawing or laptop. After my studio is organized, I need my ipod playing to set the studio mood. Once those are set then I’m good to go!

TAG: How do you feel about the art scene in Springfield? To me, it seems like there’s a generational disconnect, is that the case? If so, what’s the remedy?

M.F.: I would have to agree, I often found art events boring back when I lived in Springfield. The galleries all displayed the same artwork over and over. The only time I got excited was when the students had their BFA shows. I think the recent cropping of venues exhibiting the younger crowd help bridge the disconnect a little. These sites give public exposure beyond school exhibitions to emerging artists. I think it helps to give young artists a chance to grow in Springfield before they resort to graduate school or move to a bigger city.

TAG: How long were you in SGF?

M.F.: I lived in Springfield for six years and then moved away to Minneapolis for graduate school. I still have friends living here that I visit often and I enjoy seeing the artwork of friends who exhibit in Springfield.

TAG: Did you have a favorite place to eat in SGF?

M.F.: I always enjoyed Bambino’s whenever I ate there. The last time I visited town, there were all these new places that popped up since I’ve been away. There’s a bistro market downtown?! I can drink and enjoy a breakfast buffet during art walks? I love it. It reminds me that I need to explore and discover all these new places.

TAG: Best place to eat in SGF if you only have a $5-spot?

M.F.: I don’t know what this says about my eating habits, but if I had $5, I spend it on Andy’s Frozen Custard or coffee and a bagel at the Coffee Ethic. For economic reasons, I usually cook for myself. When I “eat out” it’s places where I can indulge on dessert or read a good book with a hot drink.

TAG: Favorite SGF band?

M.F.: Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin. When I was living in Minneapolis for a couple of years and they were becoming popular on the radio station there. It made me nostalgic.

TAG: Beer or wine?

M.F.: White wine. The closest I get to liking beer is hard cider. I can’t stand beer, it tastes like salt water to me.

TAG: Favorite current or historic artist?

M.F.: Historically, I enjoy Edvard Munch’s artwork. I model my approach to variations and printmaking experimenting after him. Current artists I find inspiration are my peers and established artists I see in art magazines, blogs, and exhibitions.

TAG: Where can people find your work (online or in person)?

M.F.: My main website is meganfrau.com. I’m on all the usual sites like my Facebook fanpage, Flickr, and Behance. I’m bad about updating some of those social networking sites, but it helps expose my artwork and I’ve come across so many great artists, friends, and contacts through those venues. I also sell art through Etsy, BigCartel, and Society6, which are linked through the website (http://meganfrau.com/blog/store).

This is the weekend much of the local arts community waits all year for. ArtsFest, the single biggest art-related event on the SGF calendar and the primary fundraiser for the Springfield Regional Arts Council, kicks off Saturday morning at 10 a.m. and wraps up Sunday evening at 5 p.m. For someone wanting to be surrounded by creativity it’s as good an opportunity as you’ll find in the city, with community arts organizations, individual artists and craftspeople, creative businesses and local musicians converging to show you the best they have to offer. Wanna take it all in to the last drop? Here’s what you need to know.

THE ARTISTS

As we previously reported, more than 130 artists will be set up in booths all along Walnut Street between National Avenue and John Q. Hammons Parkway, displaying works from practically every medium you can think of. Painting? Yup. Sculpture? Totally. Photography? Uh-huh. Jewelry making? Fo’ shizz. You can check out the full roster in alphabetical order here, complete with photo examples of the artists’ past works.

THE PERFORMERS

Two days of live music on four stages (plus a fifth stage for dance companies) awaits, with a dizzying number of total performers involved. (An informal hand count puts the total at close to 80.) Here’s how the whole thing breaks down, with acts on all stages listed from opener to closer. (All subject to change, of course.):

SATURDAY, MAY 7

Bandstand Stage

• Acoustic Essays
• Little Hoover’s Big Band
• Lonesome Hollow Bluegrass Band
• Caduceus, The Doctors’ Band
• Republic Community Band
• Organic Soul
• Summit All-Star Band
  

Coffeehouse Stage

• Shawn Lee
  
• Fourfront Jazz Quartet
• Kellswater
• Lyal Strickland
• Missouri State Jazz Symposium II
• Missouri State Jazz Studies Ensemble
• Missouri State Jazz Symposium I
• Nathaniel Carroll

Dance Stage

• Ozark Dance Academy
  
• Disney Dynamics
• A&B Dance
• Showtime Productions
• Sonshine Dance Troupe
• Troupe Sarrab
• Petra Ballet
• Willard Mini Tigerettes
• Springfield Ballet
• Credo Dance Academy
• Starlighter’s School of Dance

Music at the Inn

• Banjo Billy Matthews
• Jake Rogers
• Jay Caughron
• Reel Greene
• Aunt Lulu & Her Environmental Friends
• Lija Fonner
• Paul & Paul & Friends
• Stringfield
• Devlin Pierce

Showwagon Stage

• American Kids
• The Skinny Improv
• Springfield Little Theatre Youth Performance Troupes
• Springfield Little Theatre cast of Children of Eden
• Mariachi Viva Jalisco
  
• Supercharge
• The Retrognomes
• Pat’s Clogging Studios, Celtic Fire Irish Dance Studios and the Crew
• Connect 6 Handbell Choir
• Rhythm of Rountree

SUNDAY, MAY 8

Bandstand Stage

• Cole Porter (sponsored by Rhythm & Boom at Lindberg’s)
  
• Missouri State Flute Quartet
• Missouri State Community Flute Choir
• Missouri State Island Breeze Steel Band
• Solid Groove (sponsored by Rhythm & Boom at Lindberg’s)
  

Coffeehouse Stage

• Dan Cogell
• Jake Rogers
• Lyal Strickland
• Jackson Hunt
• Nathaniel Carroll
• Canto 17

Dance Stage

• Ann’s PAC
• Troube Sarrab
• Springfield Ballet
• Petra Ballet Company
• Ozark Dance Academy
• Starlighters School of Dance
• Credo Dance Academy

Music at the Inn

• Live Oak Band
• Jay Caughron
• Reel Greene
• Devlin Pierce
• Lija Fonner
• Bill Haller
• Lou LeBrun
• Hamburger Cows

Showwagon Stage

• Quantum Groove
• Jessel Harry of The Western Paradise
• American Kids
• Springfield Little Theatre Youth Performance Troupes
• Springfield Little Theatre cast of Children of Eden
• A Cub Bella
• Connect 6 Handbell Choir
• Glen McKenzie & The Road Kings

THE FOOD

Face it: You’re going to be hungry at ArtsFest at some point. Checking out everything takes time, after all, and you’re going to be bombarded with aromas from every direction. You’ll find an extraordinary number of food options up and down the street, starting with the Food Tent at the corner of Hampton Avenue and Walnut Street and continuing with business-specific food booths sprinkled throughout. Here’s whom you’ll find where:

• Amycakes, Booth 44
• Andy’s Frozen Custard, Booth 123
• Backyard Burgers, corner of Florence Avenue and Walnut Street
• The Coffee Ethic, Booth 151
• Corn Dude, Booth 126
• Crosstown BBQ, Food Tent
• The Greek Festival, Food Tent
• Honey Heaven, Booth 92
• Just Nuts, Booth 64
• Mama Jean’s, Booth 135A
• Ozarks County Kettle Corn, Booth 125
• Ozarks Food Service, corner of Hampton Avenue and Walnut Street
• Taco Wagon, Food Tent
• Tropical Treats, Booth 135B

MORE FUN

Art is the focal point of ArtsFest, sure, but it’s not the whole thing. For the kids there’s a play area called Art Town Downtown, home to numerous hands-on activities, and a special market for kids to pick up pieces of art they like for $5 or less.

For the social media mavens there’s a scavenger hunt set up on the ArtsFest Facebook page where meeting a handful of goals at the event gets you a duck from the Tweet Pond and the prize that corresponds with the duck’s number. Or how about just playing the role of artist yourself? Springfield Pottery will be setting up the Claymobile at the corner of Walnut Street and John Q. Hammons Parkway to teach you how to make clay on a wheel into something beautiful.

AN EXCITING TWIST

Remember all those updates we’ve brought you in recent months about Mother’s Brewing Company, the new SGF brewery moving in on South Grant Avenue downtown? TAG’s resident beer guru Ben Stange tells us Mother’s will be on the front lawn at Ebbets Field during ArtsFest, previewing two of its beers ahead of the brewery’s big Mother’s Day Festival and grand unveiling on May 14.

SWAG-O-RAMA

Not only can you purchase works by the artists at ArtsFest, but you can buy a variety of other souvenirs as well. Official ArtsFest T-shirts, playing off the logo seen in the poster above, will be available for $12 (short sleeve) or $15 (long sleeve). Speaking of the poster, a special print on thicker paper and signed and numbered by its designers will be available in very limited quantities for $20, ready for framing.

THE SURPRISES

There are good ones. Very good ones. That’s all we’re at liberty to say.

THE TICKETS

Maybe the best news of all is that ArtsFest is a pretty cheap event for so much going on–just $5 per day gets you in for both days. Your budget’s even tighter than that, you say? Head to any SGF McDonald’s location and you can purchase advance tickets for $3 each.

Sordid Lives, a raucous white trash comedy, officially opens at the historic Landers Theatre on Friday night. We at TAGsgf.com understand how that can be a long time to wait. Thanks to our man, Chad Harris of Fair City News, we have tickets to Thursday night’s VIP pre-viewing just for you. So tune into TAG’s Facebook feed for opportunities throughout today and tomorrow to win tickets to Springfield Little Theatre’s Sordid Lives tomorrow night.

Here’s how

Find TAG on Facebook and be the first person to answer a trivia question correctly to win a pack of four tickets on Wednesday morning (between 10 and 10:30 a.m.). On Thursday we will have two sets of two. Same format, one set will go between 9:30-10 a.m. and the other between 3:30 and 5. Keep your eyes out!

Hank Williams: Lost Highway shares the music and story behind an American music legend. It opened last night at the Gillioz Theatre and runs through Sunday only. Branson star Tim Hadler stars as Hank. TAGsgf.com found the secret rehearsal space for Lost Highway and has a little sneak peek of the show. Hadler talked about getting confused for Hank in public, and hear a little bit of the music.

Tim Hadler as Hank Williams

Here’s another sneak look at Hank Williams: Lost Highway. It turns out that Hank’s band can crank out the bluegrassy jams. The story of Hank Williams hits the stage at the Gillioz Theatre on Wednesday and runs through Sunday (Oct. 27-31). From the rise to musical celebrity through the self-destruction that led to his young death, hear the music and see his struggle in Hank Williams: Lost Highway .

Hank’s Band in Lost Highway is pretty damn good

Related

Hank Williams: Lost Highway (sneak peek 1 featuring Hank’s Move It On Over)

Jess Heugel

Jess Heugel is no stranger to the waiting game. When he’s on a shoot, Heugel picks a backdrop and fades into the background. Then he waits. “I realize how few times a day when a moment is just right,” he said. “You can go search for something all day, but sometimes it’s better to just be patient and wait for something to happen within a scene.” Coincidence that Heugel, and wife Kelly, had visa applications turned down twice when trying to enter Myanmar.

The Heugels were allowed visas on their third attempt and the result is featured at the Park Central Library downtown. Magnificent backdrops are a constant theme, from palaces and temples to impoverished streets. The pictures, taken in 2009, demonstrate the unspoken lives of Myanmar’s oppressed. Myanmar was probably a once-in-a lifetime experience and Heugel hopes the photos introduce people to the strains on the Burmese people. “The photos are really centered around letting people see that there’s a country out there where everything is run by the government,” he said. “We never hear anything about them, and their government is very satisfied with that.”

It left Heugel thankful for the opportunity at all, considering the restrictive military dictatorship. “Being allowed into Myanmar as an American is a very special thing,” Heugel said. “(Their government) couldn’t be happier about the U.S. trade sanctions. They just want to be left alone.” Once there, Heugel connected with a travel company and spent three days taking in the Burmese controlled way of life. “We had a very powerful experience there – never felt unsafe, but definitely felt the oppression that was weighing on the people. We went to go and do and experience what life was like for every day people in Myanmar. Yes, they’re oppressed, but they’re not unhappy.” A military dictatorship rules their lives, politically nothing exists outside of the military – except the monks.

A Monk Asleep (Heugel)

Experiences with the monks became the eventual “driving force behind the show.” While walking around outside a temple “trying to be respectful and not disturb anything” Heugel was engaged by a group of monks and welcomed into a monastery. They drank tea and talked about Buddhism. “They invited us to the temple and took a couple hours to show us around,” Heugel said. “Of course it was with limited English, but they let us witness a very special place.” It created his favorite shot in the collection – a photo of the monks leaping on the ground. For Heugel, it represents a rare opportunity. “When it happens you get to let (the experience) be a part of your life. If it happens it’s wonderful. If it doesn’t, you never knew the difference,” he said.

Heugel is no stranger to taking in new experiences. His travels have delivered him all over the world and his camera has become an extention of that. As a teenager living in Nairobi, Kenya, he picked up a camera in need of “a way to process and document that.” He came to Springfield for school (Heugel’s a 2004 graduate of Evangel University) and stayed for a job at the News-Leader. He moved briefly to Jamaica where he helped at an orphanage and a coffee farm owned by family of a friend. Heugel said he enjoys opportunities to shoot in Easter Europe – he will have a show featuring work from Ukraine at The Coffee Ethic in January. Another exhibit is in the works, supporting non-profit group Dusty Feet, which he shot from Kenya this summer. His parents, missionaries, currently live in Sudan and his next project is in Esotnia. “Who knows from there?” The Myanmar show will be featured at the library through the end of the month.

Shwedagon Monk (Heugel)

On the job:
Five Questions with Jess Heugel

1. What’s in the camera bag?

• Canon – 5D body, 40D body
• 3 lenses – 17-40, 70-200, 1-400

2. When do you know you have a good shot?

Half of the time I’ll know (a good shot) as soon as I take it. Half of the time I’ll get home and start dissecting a picture and it will come alive. I’m not out there: “Click” then look at the picture. They call it “chimping” – there’s not a lot of time for that. Sometimes you know as soon as you release the shutter, sometimes it’s when you get home.

3. How much do you edit your photos?

There’s a little bit of color and tonal tweaking, but not much.

4. How’s shooting for yourself different from shooting for the paper?

It’s really the life of the free lancer, I’m the king of the temporary job. Shooting like this is very … a lot more free flowing, a lot more liberating. It’s really where I feel more comfortable. I’m not a worrier, not a pre-planner.

5. How can people keep up with your work, professional and personal?

The website – www.JessHeugel.com or on Twitter – @JessHeugel

Tim Hadler as Hank Williams

The story of Hank Williams hits the stage at the Gillioz Theatre at the end of the month (Oct. 27-31). From the rise to musical celebrity through the self destruction that led to his young death, hear the music and see his struggle in Hank Williams: Lost Highway. Tim Hadler stars as Hank, with a talented backing band. King Clarence as Tee Tot? Sure enough. We’ll have more on the low sneaks as the open draws closer.

Tim Hadler plays Move It On Over by Hank Williams

The Rocky Horror Show has a little spice for everybody – comedy, spookiness, insanity and effects. With director Nathan Shelton at the helm, the effects will no doubt catch your eye in the cult phenomenon that spawned The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Heath Hillhouse plays Dr. Frank N. Furter who stole a page from Frankenstein.

The Rocky Horror Show opens tonight at Vandivort Center Theatre at 7:30 p.m.. The show is presented by Springfield Contemporary Theatre. TAGsgf.com caught up with Hillhouse while crews were putting the final touches on the stage to talk about the differences between the movie and live show, his role as a gender-confused psychopath and about working with Shelton . Somehow we didn’t discuss The Time Warp. The show closes on Halloween.

Heath Hillhouse talks about the Vandivort’s production of The Rocky Horror Show

Ran Cummings plays the role of Hamlet in the feature production from The Skinny Improv and Springfield Shakespeare Project.

Hamlet is widely regarded as the greatest English play, ever. TAGsgf.com caught up with the lead actor Ran Cummings at the Phelps Grove Park stage to talk about the significance of the work and how to avoid over-cheesing the famous To Be or Not To Be speech. The Skinny Improv and Springfield Shakespeare Project get set for week two of their limited seating production at National Avenue Christian Church. Tickets are just $10 and showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday. There are only 50 seats available each night and doors open at 7 p.m., so get there early. They ran out quick during opening weekend.

Ran Cummings talks about playing the role of Hamlet

Alberta Smith in full costume as Jennyanydots in CATS - opening at Landers Theatre this weekend.

Central High School music teacher Alberta Smith has somehow put the puzzle pieces together to fit rehearsal after a long school day. Smith is playing Jennyanydot at the Landers Theatre in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s world-renowned musical, CATS. The show opens Friday, September 10. TAGsgf.com caught up with Smith on the set of CATS days before the opening.

CATS, inspired by the writing of T.S. Eliot, is directed by Springfield Little Theatre Education Director Lorianne Dunn.

Interview with Alberta Smith (Jennyanydots)

If a date is missing or has changed, email Brett@TAGsgf.com.

Drury

At Studio Theatre

• The Birthday Party by Harold Pinter
  October 6-8, 8 pm
  October 9, 2 pm & 8 pm

At Wilhoit Theatre

• Company (Musical) by Stephen Sondheim and George Furth
  November 10-12, 8 pm
  November 13, 2 pm & 8 pm

• Rumors by Neil Simon
  March 2-4, 8 pm
  March 5, 2 pm & 8 pm

• Richard III by William Shakespeare
  April 13-15, 8 pm
  April 16, 2 pm & 8 pm

• The Broadway Cabaret – A Musical Revue
  May 4-6, 8 pm

Missouri State

At Balcony Theatre

• The Laramie Project by Moises Kaufman and the Tectonic Theater Project
  September 23-24, September 26-October 1, October 3-5, 7:30 p.m.

• Musical of Musicals (The Musical!) by Eric Rockwell and Joanne Bogart
  February 10-11, 14-17, 21-24, 7:30 p.m.
  February 13, 2:30 p.m.

At Carrington Auditorium

• Wiley and the Hairy Man by Jack Stokes
  November 4-6, 7:30 p.m.
  November 7, 2:30 p.m.

At Juanita K. Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts

• Fiddler on the Roof
  Oct. 15, 8 p.m.
  Oct. 16, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.
• A Midsummer Night’s Dream
  November 1, 7:30 p.m.
• White Christmas, playwright by David Ives, Paul Blake
  December 3-4, 8 p.m.
  December 5, 2 p.m.
• Tomie dePaola’s Strega Nona
  January 18, 7:3 p.m.
• Beauty and the Beast
  February 11, 8 p.m.
  February 12, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.
• Bus Stop
  February 24, 7:30 p.m.
• The Aluminum Show
  April 1, 8 p.m
  April 2, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.
• Star Trek Live
  April 11, 7 p.m.
• Monty Python’s Spamalot
  April 29, 8 p.m.
  April 30, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.

At Coger Theatre

• The Beaux Stratagem, Adapted by Thornton Wilder and Ken Ludwig
  April 7-9, 7:30 p.m.
  April 10, 2:30 p.m.

Springfield Contemporary Theatre

Vandivort Center Theatre

• The Cripple of Inishmaan
  September 9-11, 16-18 7:30 p.m.
  September 12, 2 p.m.
• Rocky Horror Show
  Oct. 8-9, 14-16, 21-24, 28-31 at 7:30 p.m.
  Oct. 17 at 2 p.m.
• The Secret Garden

  November 19-21, 25-28, December 2-5, 7-12

• Julie Bunny Must Die!
  Jan. 7-8, 13-15 at 7:30 p.m.
  Jan. 9, 16 at 2 p.m.
• Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
  February 11-12, 17-19, 24-26, March 3-5 at 7:30 p.m.
  February 13, 20, 27 at 2 p.m.
• The Oldest Profession
  March 25-26, 31-April 2, 7-9 at 7:30 p.m.
  April 3 at 2 p.m.
• Amadeus
  April 29-30, May 5-7, 12-14 at 7:30 p.m.
  May 1, 8 at 2 p.m.

Springfield Little Theatre

At Landers Theatre

• CATS
  September 10-26
  Thursday at 7:30pm (September 16 & 23)
  Friday at 7:30pm (September 10, 17, & 24)
  Saturday at 2:30* and 7:30pm (*Matinee only on September 18; Evening on September 11, 18 & 25)
  Sunday at 2:30pm (September 12, 19, and 26)
• Treasure Island
  October 7-17
  Thursday at 7:30pm (October 7 & 14)
  Friday at 7:30pm (October 8 & 15)
  Saturday at 2:30 and 7:30pm (October 9 & 16)
  Sunday at 2:30pm (October 10 & 17)
• Sordid Lives
  November 5-14
  Wednesday at 7:30pm (November 10)
  Thursday at 7:30pm (November 11)
  Friday at 7:30pm (November 5 & 12)
  Saturday at 7:30pm (November 6 & 13)
  Sunday at 2:30pm (November 7 & 14)
• Miracle on 34th Street
  December 2-12
  Thursday at 7:30pm (December 2 & 9)
  Friday at 7:30pm (December 3 & 10)
  Saturday at 2:30 and 7:30pm (December 4 & 11)
  Sunday at 2:30pm (December 5 & 12)
• Big River
  January 28-February 13
  Thursdays at 7:30pm (February 3 & 10)
  Fridays at 7:30pm (January 28, February 4 & 11)
  Saturdays at 2:30 and 7:30pm (January 29, February 5 & 12)
  Sundays at 2:30pm (January 30, February 6 & 13)
• Thoroughly Modern Millie Jr
  March 3-13
  Thursdays at 7:30pm (March 3 & 10)
  Fridays at 7:30pm (March 4 & 11)
  Saturdays at 2:30 and 7:30pm (March 5 & 12)
  Sundays at 2:30pm (March 6 & 13)
• Chicago
  April 1-17
  Thursdays at 7:30pm (April 7 & 14)
  Fridays at 7:30pm (April 1, 8 & 15)
  Saturdays at 7:30pm (April 2, 9 & 16)
  Sundays at 2:30pm (April 3, 10 & 17)
• The Foreigner
  May 6-15
  Wednesday at 7:30pm (May 11)
  Thursday at 7:30pm (May 12)
  Fridays at 7:30pm (May 6 & 13)
  Saturdays at 7:30pm (May 7 & 14)
  Sundays at 2:30pm (May 8 & 15)
• Children of Eden
  June 10-26
  Wednesday at 7:30pm (June 15)
  Thursdays at 7:30pm (June 16 & 23)
  Fridays at 7:30pm (June 10, 17 & 24)
  Saturdays at 7:30pm (June 11, 18 & 25)
  Sundays at 2:30pm (June 12, 19 & 26)

Other

At Gillioz Theatre

• Hank Williams: Lost Highway
  October 27-30, 7:30 p.m.
  October 31, 2:30 p.m.

Springfield Little Theatre Education Director, Lorianne Dunn

Lorianne Dunn has been involved in Springfield Little Theatre for nearly eight years. A true SGFer, she was originally hired by SLT as a Volunteer Coordinator, but quickly moved into the role of Education Director. While Dunn has been involved in an unreal number of stage productions at the Historic Landers Theatre, but is currently preparing for her favorite – Andrew Lloyd Webber’s award winning and world renowned CATS – as both director and choreographer. It’s SLT’s first run at the song and dance musical, which features a large onstage cast. TAGsgf.com caught up with Dunn as she continues to prepare for SLT’s season opener on September 10.

TAGsgf.com: CATS is right around the corner, everybody knows the name, but what make this such a special performance?

Lorianne Dunn: Based on the whimsical poetry of T.S. Eliot (Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats), CATS, through spectacular song and dance, tells the story of the annual gathering of Jellicle cats at which time one special cat is selected to ascend to the Heaviside layer (a sort of “cat heaven”).  The multiple Tony-award winning CATS, composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber (composer of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus Christ Superstar, The Phantom of the Opera, etc.), has conquered the world as the longest running musical in history, been translated into 20 languages, and features a magical score including “Memory.”  The energy and elegance that has elevated CATS to world popularity makes it a purr-fect show for the whole family to experience.   A true musical theatre phenomenon. A first for Springfield Little Theatre.

This is SLT's first production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's popular musical.

L.D.: CATS is entirely told through music and dance, so it is a natural fit for the choreographer and the director to be the same person.  I am also extremely lucky to have the constant support of a wonderful Musical Director, Susan Gravatt.

TAG: Is there a singular role you prefer?

L.D.: It just depends on what kind of show it is.  If it is a show like Once On This Island, Seussical, or the upcoming Children of Eden — a show that I very much connect with on an emotional level and features more music than text — I prefer to be the Director/Choreographer.  If I’m serving as Choreographer on a “book” show with another Director, I enjoy the collaboration, the discoveries that only that kind of synergy can bring, and the opportunity to learn from the way another director works and communicates with their cast.

TAG: Springfield Little Theatre is different from the touring productions with the “amateur” label. Everybody’s working other jobs, but has an incredible level of commitment to the production. Is it ever difficult to get everyone on the same page?

L.D.: We have assembled a very talented and dedicated group of volunteers.  They believe in their craft and are committed to doing their very best.  They excel because they are passionate about their art, and they hold each other to a very high standard.  Many of the cast members have an extra special fondness for the show, claiming seeing a production of CATS was their first exposure to musical theatre.  They are thrilled to now, not only have the opportunity to tackle such challenging material as performers, but also, to perhaps give another young audience member an experience similar to their own.

Cast members of CATS: Gary Lyons (center) as Monkustrap; Emily Bowen as Grizabella; and Anna Kicker, from Petra Ballet Company, an ensemble member.

TAG: There’s a lot of talent in the area. What are the names of some people we should keep an eye out for?

L.D.: CATS features 41 onstage performers and 6 offstage vocalists.  I anticipate our audiences will be impressed with all of them!  Principle players include Gary Lyons as Munkustrap, Alberta Smith as Jennyanydots, Josh Inmon as Rum Tum Tugger, Emily Bowen as Grizabella, Dean Price as Bustopher Jones, James Brandon Martin and J. Mackenzie Huley as Mongojerrie and Rumpleteazer, Derrick DeVonne King as Old Deuteronomy, Taylor Haverstick as Jemima, Dale Haverstick as Gus, Jana Thomas Coffman as Jellylorum, Cody Collier as Skimbleshanks, Chris Jasinski as Macavity, Mackenzie Lollar as Demeter, Sally Trtan as Bombalurina, and Kim Alvarez as Magical Mr. Mistoffelees.  We are also thrilled to have seven members of Petra Ballet Company in the cast of CATS.

TAG: You’ve been involved in a lot of productions, are there any that stick out as your favorite?

L.D.: The production I’m currently working on ALWAYS has to be the favorite.  I love the work.  Looking back, I have so many “favorites”— Curtains (a top notch cast and funny, funny show), Once On This Island (the most beautiful music and stellar storytelling), Seussical (crazy fun cast of 97 performers and delightful material), The Full Monty (a radical departure for SLT at the time), Beauty and The Beast (elevated the standard of production at SLT), and Godspell (new orchestrations and inventive staging), to name a few.

TAG: How did you get started in theatre, was stage production always your passion?

L.D.: I was terribly shy as a child.  I began ballet lessons at the age of 8 with Springfield Ballet and soon ballet became my life.  At the age of 11, I attended my first summer program away from home at Missouri State Ballet’s Webster University camp.  I, then, would sometimes ride the bus back and forth from Kansas City to take classes with their company.  At 13, I began attending the School of American Ballet (Balanchine’s official school of the New York City Ballet) summer workshop and then at 15 was invited to stay for the school year.

I studied there for the entirety of my sophomore year while attending academic school just a couple of hours a day at Professional Children’s School, an academic school that is accommodating to a young person’s professional schedule.  After coping with an injury, I decided to come home and finish out high school as a “normal” kid.  That’s when I became involved in theatre.  I had always loved theatre and living in NY had given me the opportunity to see a lot of incredible theatre.  I attended Missouri State University, was active in their Theatre and Dance Department, did Tent, taught, choreographed, and then became involved with SLT.  There were a couple of other chapters in there, too, along the way, but for the most part, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it…and the rest is history!

TAG: Have you ever hit the mental panic button when a show is about to open? What’s the nerve factor backstage right before a show opens?

L.D.: No, my anxiety always hits closer to the beginning of the process.  “What have I gotten myself into?”  “Why are my ideas not flowing freely?”  “Why can’t I commit to this choreography?”  “Have we taken on too much?”  Blah blah blah.  Usually, by the time a show is about to open, I am so confident in the work that we have done to get to that point, that I am THRILLED for the cast to finally have an audience to share it with.  They truly crave it by that point.  The energy backstage is definitely tangible.  The actors have to channel that nervous energy into positive energy.  I just pray for their health and safety and leave the rest to God.

TAG: The curtains close and it’s time to blow off some steam, where do you head in SGF to relax?

L.D.: After the show—either the Mud Lounge (where everybody knows your name) or Harlow’s (please don’t tell, no one knows me there and it’s great) or my own front porch swing.  On a “dark” (meaning a non-show day in the middle of the run) day—Bodhi Salon for a massage.  After the production run—the lake!!!!

TAG: Favorite musician?

L.D.: My parents.  My mom and dad are both musicians.  My mother is a pianist and my dad started his career in education as a band director.  Music was a huge part of our family life growing up, at home and at church.  I owe my musicality and my love of music to them, and their examples of hard work, dedication, and follow through have made me a better teacher and creative artist.

TAG: Favorite author(s)?
L.D.: Stephen Schwartz, Alan Menken, Tim Rice, Stephen Flaherty, Lynn Ahrens

Sally Trtan in Song of Singapore

Sally Trtan grew up in the arts, surrounded by singers, actors and musicians. The ubiquity of music paved her a certain path.

“My father was an actor and my mom is a cellist. All of my brothers and sisters have sang or been involved in some type of musical,” Trtan, exempting her oldest brother said. “This is what I’ve always known.”

That didn’t necessarily prepare her for crazy.

When Song of Singapore opens tonight at the Vandivort Center Theatre, Trtan will be center stage of the 1940s jazz club, playing a fun, if unfamiliar, role – club chanteuse, Rose.

“I’ve never played the really goofy character. I normally play the sidekick,” Trtan laughed, because Rose definitely qualifies as goofy. “She suffers from amnesia and doesn’t really know what’s going on.”

Though Rose changes after a band member (played by Ned Wilkinson) hypnotizes her, Trtan said she recalls “blond moments (she) would normally have” to prepare for the role – one which required study deeper than hair color.

Springfield Contemporary Theatre’s set, and, in a way, the cast, of Song of Singapore is designed to include the audience. To emulate a true club and put the audience directly in the atmosphere, two rows of tables are set directly against the stage.

“We go into the crowd and interact,” Trtan said. It creates a dialogue with the crowd. “I had to do a little more research to know what some of the lingo was and be able to improvise naturally.”

Trtan is also in rehearsal for Springfield Little Theatre’s Cats which opens in mid-September.

Song of Singapore, directed by Gretchen Teague opens tonight at 7:30 p.m. at the Vandivort. First weekend tickets are just $16 for every seat in the house. You can meet the cast, too, in the lobby after the show for drinks and snacks. It runs through August 15.

Vandivort Center Theatre opened up new flex passes with which you can save a little dough. For $80 you can pre-order single tickets to all five of this season’s shows. That’s about $10 cheaper than if you purchased each separately (tickets are $18 for adults). Also available are 10 show flex passes which includes next year’s shows for $150.

2010 schedule:

Out of Order (June 25-July 10), Song of Singapore (July 30-August 15), The Cripple of Inishman (September 3-18), The Rocky Horror Picture Show (October 8-31), The Secret Garden (November 19-December 12)

Call Vandivort Center Theatre for more information (831-8001) or visit online.

Vandivort Box Office (305 E. Walnut St.) open Tuesday-Friday, 12-5 PM.

We’re at it again and this time the TAGsgf crew sits down with Nicholas Tarr for the latest episode of TAGtv. He has his custom designed and hand made t-shirts for sale at Staxx in downtown Springfield. He has art hanging at numerous downtown locations. He’s not in one place but at least two at tonight’s Art Walk. He donates numerous works of art to auctions and charitable causes. He’s done 3D art installments for James River Assembly and St. John’s new St. Jude’s children’s ward.

Nicholas Tarr is young, creative, and smart. He fancies himself a young business man, but all the while he’s giving back to the community just as it gave to him. He has a very interesting story, but its best if we let him tell it. Find out all about Nicholas Tarr, his work, and his awesome story in this latest episode of TAGtv.

Follow Nicholas Tarr on Facebook (we highly suggest checking out his work there):
http://facebook.com/nicholastarrdesigns

HIVE is a locally-produced quarterly comics anthology with international distribution. The fourth edition is due out at the end of April and is loaded with talented cartoonists. TAGSGF.com is tracking down its contributors to give you an inside look at what makes these cartoonists tick.

Malachi Ward is a second-time contributor to HIVE, but his work wasn’t always that of cartoon strips and comics. Six years ago Ward was a gallery artist, but then he made the jump. From Pasadena, CA, Ward is displayed at various spots across the U.S. When he’s not drawing, you can find him posted up at comic conventions or with his band – The Denouement (check out this non-traditional music notation … sweet!).

TAGsgf.com: How has your style changed and grown from a few years ago? It’s a pretty drastic difference.

Malachi Ward: It all happened pretty gradually. I think the style of art has changed a lot to suit the kinds of stories I want to tell through comics. It was a big jump for me to go from paintings for a gallery to the comic world. Of course, within the frame of comics there’s a huge variety of work, and I still wasn’t sure exactly what kind of comics I wanted to make. Slowly I honed in on what I liked and what I wanted to do.

MW: A lot of it was just making comics. I’d make a comic and not really be satisfied with it, either the artwork or the type of story, so I’d make adjustments on the next effort. I didn’t finish many of them, but it was all part of that “honing in” process. Of course I’d be inspired by other comics along the way and incorporate what I liked, or stay away from what I didn’t want to do. I was (and still am) probably soaking up lots of inspiration from other forms of storytelling also, like tv or movies.

MW: I think I’m just in a process of circling closer and closer to what I want to do. My work from six years ago doesn’t look a thing like what I’m doing now, it wasn’t even comics then, but I think the comics I’ll be doing six years from now won’t look quite so different from my present work. Hopefully it will be a lot better though!

TAG: When did you know this would play a major role in your life? How did you get started?

MW: I’ve been drawing my entire life, and I always knew that I wanted to be doing something art-related, but I jumped around between what specifically I wanted to do all throughout high school and college. I was a studio art major in collage, but towards the end I started to get into comics. One of the librarians at the school was actually giving me lists of good stuff to read: Alan Moore’s run on Swamp Thing, some Sandman comics, Hellboy, all mostly superhero related. It wasn’t until I stumbled upon “McSweeney’s Vol. 13″ (the one edited by Chris Ware and filled with old newspaper and “alternative” comics) that I started thinking of comics as something I wanted to actually make and not just read. I’ve been focusing on making comics ever since.

MW: Jordan at Grimalkin Press sent me an email asking if I wanted to submit something to Hive 3, I think after seeing some of my work online. I looked at some of the stuff he published in the previous volumes and like it a lot, so I got to work!

MW: A lot of the work I do draws on history and science. I’m always reading history books in particular. Usually ideas come while I’m reading about ancient civilizations. From there I start making notes, writing down ideas. Over time they sort of coagulate into a rough story and I start to write outlines and layout thumbnails of pages.

MW: Right now I mostly self-publish. I have a story called “The Scout” in Hive 3, and I’ll have story over at TopShelf 2.0 pretty soon. The easiest way to get my work is at my website, malachiward.blogspot.com. My comics are also at some comic shops scattered across north america, like Meltdown in LA, Floating World in Portland, Desert Island in New York, and Lucky’s in Vancouver.

MW: I like the most recent Joanna Newsom album a lot, but I also feel like I’ve just begun to dig into it. It’s more than two hours long, and I don’t think she repeats lyrics much!

MW: I’d probably toss a brick at Ignatz from Krazy Kat. He needs some of his own medicine!

TAG: Beer or coffee?
MW: Coffee I guess… but I don’t like either very much.

TAG: Favorite midnight snack?
MW: Those Little Debbie oatmeal cream pies.

MW: I’ll be at Stumptown Comics Fest in Portland April 24-25, so stop by the booth if you can! Also, go to malachiward.blogspot.com all the time! It’ll make you happy.

For those still unfamiliar with LemonDrop, it’s time to become acquainted. Director Charlie Rosenbury saw a gap in the SGF arts community. Artists who were already in the gallery circuit were having no trouble getting picked up. The galleries could charge a pretty stack of dough for the work, so they could get their share and people would pay (though mostly for the name). Rosenbury felt compelled to help the talented artists without a name, thus came LemonDrop. “We really want to be a resource for local artists,” Rosenbury said.

LemonDrop director Charlie Rosenbury, center, hopes to connect artists with opportunity.

Simply put, LemonDrop is a cultivator of the local arts, completely not-for profit. Neither of the founders line their pockets after events or sold art. They work for free, a literal labor of love. Private funding, and a little bit of cheese from the Arts Council, keeps the lights on and the West Commercial spot open. Any money from art sold goes, almost entirely, back to the artist, which reflects directly on the price tags. “A lot of places take 50 percent. We’re looking at 5-10%,” Rosenbury said. LD began with a bang last month, bringing in a air of national acts – Mac Lethal and Emancipator – in hopes of getting SGF musicians exposure by pairing them with recognizable names. “Ultimately, we want to shift to purely local shows, but I think using big acts will serve as a jumping off point for local artists.”

Outside of a stint in Columbia, at Mizzou, Rosenbury is a lifelong SGFer. Initially, LemonDrop began as a record label (with Kevin Sellers) in 2007, but money was strapped as it was a for profit business, not seeing the hoped for revenue as a strictly music incubator. He tossed the idea around and eventually the right people heard the idea as an all-encompassing arts studio, gallery, and music venue. “The model doesn’t fit with capitalism very well,” Rosenbury laughed.

In off time, LemonDrop has the space to serve as practice space for learning Missouri State art educators or for community Pilates and Yoga classes. Rosenbury envisions LD as a spot for artists to gather and work on their craft. “Instead of painting at home, come here and work collectively. We hope to eventually have an open computer lab to allow digital artists to use the Adobe Design Suite.” The only hitch is trying to hold the artists to a standard without being exclusive. “The hard part is figuring out the process of admittance,” Rosenbury said. “We want LemonDrop to maintain a level of quality. At the same time, we want as many people to be a part of it as possible.”

For more information, check out LemonDrop online.

Watch video from the March 6 show with Mac Lethal, Les Izmore, Sincerely Yours, The Spacetones and more!

Carmelita DeLeon calls herself a “cross-genre photographer” and it takes just a quick glance at an exhibit to understand the description. She got her start by shooting collegiate sports when she became an SGFer in 1991 (originally from Effingham, Illinois), but has “expanded the scope” to include family and animal portraits, as well as engagements, reunions and commercial shoots. She’s adamant about leaving her work unedited, so viewers catch exactly what she captured. Her work frequents downtown galleries and other venues (most recently displayed at Lili’s Diner). DeLeon said she’s working on new collection. TAGsgf.com took the chance to ask a few questions of the eclectic photographer.

Carmelita DeLeon

TAGsgf.com: When did you become passionate about photography?

Carmelita DeLeon: I have always loved to look at life through the lens of a camera, but I really developed as a photographer while in college.

TAG: Did you go to school for photography or are you self trained?

CD: Years of practice and a little luck have really developed my skills behind the camera. I don’t edit or Photoshop any of my photos. What I see is what I want to share with my audience, of course my audience only sees about 10 percent of what I shoot. The other 90 percent go in the trash.  I’m pretty hard on myself…

TAG: What do you enjoy shooting most?

CD: It varies really. I’ve always loved shooting live, musical artists!  The energy linked with musicians is CRAZY!  I love it!  And when you can get musicians to initiate back and forth and connect…it just works and the fans love those pictures.  Family pictures are a huge hit, too.  When you can get families together and connect and capture a moment they aren’t expecting…wow.  Years later, those families will call and thank me for those memories.  It’s touching.

TAG: You just got back in town from a shoot. Where’d you go and did you get the shots you were looking for?

CD: I went to a small town in Arkansas to the Mildred B Cooper chapel. Even though rain was in the forecast, God must have wanted some good shots…NO rain and the sun was shining Ah… I did get the shots I was looking for and more!  The angles and lighting were absolutely perfect!

TAG: Do you anticipate what you want to shoot on these trips or is it all surprise?

CD: Even though I have some idea of what I would like to achieve, inevitably, the day hands me surprises.  Like I said, I’m a “lucky” kind of a gal. Last year for my birthday, a friend took me to a little town outside of Eureka Springs called Beaver. The Golden Gate, I believe is what it’s called and I have the most exquisite photos that came from that day, including great shots of local kids jumping off a rock…

TAG: Your work was recently displayed at Lili’s Diner. Where can/will people find collections in town?

CD: I do have a piece at The Gravel Bar at 843 S Glenstone.  It’s one of my favorites so you’ll have to get out there to see it!  Our local MS Society, Springfield Brewing Co, Kickapoo High School…I can’t really think of any other places right now off the top of my head.

Finish at the Tour of Missouri (DeLeon)

TAG: What inspires your photography? Places you prefer to shoot?

CD: Anything and everything inspires me.  Before I look through my lens, I ask myself one question.  How many times do I want to look at this photo?  If I want to look at it more that three, five, ten or twenty times…it’s photo worthy. I really like to shoot anywhere.  My camera is always with me because you just never know when that perfect opportunity is going to arise.

TAG: What do you need happening for a great shot? Favorite spots to take photos?

CD: No rain and an inside person to let me backstage.  Sometimes if you’re carrying a camera and walk with confidence, most people don’t even ask questions and just assume you’re with the media.  It’s kind of funny.  It doesn’t work all the time, but for the most part, it does.  Ha ha ha!  Music venues are my favorite places to shoot.  Like I said earlier…when you can get the artist to look at you or capture them interacting with the audience…it’s like magic!

TAG: Favorite park in Springfield?

CD: I would have to say Sequiota! The natural backdrops for portraits are amazing.

TAG: Bottle or can?

CD: Eh…usually a can.  Bottles break and are dangerous to those of us at the lakes and rivers!

TAG: Mini golf or real golf?

CD: Real golf!  I like to drive around the golf course, drink adult beverages and well…there’s nothing like teeing up your own ball and chasing it all over a big course, right?!  Maybe even losing a few balls along the way! Ha Ha Ha!

TAG: Lake or river?

CD: Depends on the day!  I love to fish and a weekend at the lake with a fishing pole and a nice sunburn…ahhh there’s nothing like it.  Yet being at the river … the gravel bars look different no matter how many times you’ve been to that same river.

(Do you have a favorite local artist you’d like to know more about? Send me an email – Brett@TAGSGF.com – with their name and why you enjoy their work. We’ll try to get a convo so you can learn more about SGF’s artists.)

Pinocchio at Springfield Little Theatre

Starring:

PINOCCHIO – Ruth Ann Chaney

GEPPETTO – Don Patterson

MASTER CHERRY – Dale Haverstick

BLUE FAIRY – Angie K. Carroll

FIRE EATER – Chris Jasinsky

CANDLEWICK – Chris Deeds

CRICKET – Megan Yarnell

Production Dates: March 4-14, 2010

Run Time: Approximately 1 hour

Audience: Pinocchio is appropriate for all audience members.

Ticket Prices:

* $11.00 Adult
* $11.00 Senior (62+)/Student/Military
* $9.00 Children (ages 14 and under)

Show Times:

* Thursday at 7:30pm
* Friday at 7:30pm
* Saturday at 2:30pm and 7:30pm
* Sunday at 2:30pm

Director Nathan Shelton is out to change the perception of live theatre. Especially in SGF, it has developed this lingering sense of monotony with storylines geared toward older generations. With chilling, uncut productions like Bug, Shelton has audiences squirming. I caught up with Shelton to ask him a few questions about his current project at the Vandivort.

Bug is playing now at the Vandivort

TAG: Tell me about Bug. What can audiences expect?

Shelton: It’s very adult – (looks at) an interesting side of human nature that’s not really explored in theatre, how unchecked desperation can lead to drastic actions. It was written by Tracy Letts, a Chicago native, who is becoming very popular. They made a movie based on the script in 2007, and Hollywood turned it into a horror film. We took a very literal approach to the script and it’s more of a hardcore drama, though it’s still very graphic.

TAG: What’s the basic plot?

Shelton: It’s about a down-and-out actress who is recovering from a tragedy who is introduced and hits it off with a guy named Peter. He’s AWOL from the Army and believes the government is after him and has planted computer microchips (bugs) in his skin. She gets sucked into the paranoia, and things aren’t really connected. The question is raised whether everything (going on) is real or not. The audience never knows for sure if it’s really happening.

TAG: How big of a production is Bug? Who are the leads?

Shelton: Dawn McClain with 96.5 FM plays Agnes while T.J. Pederson plays Peter. It’s a small cast – of just five, and I’ve worked with them before. We only auditioned one part, the rest were invited for specific roles. They all have a different energy and have different ways of doing their art. It’s very exciting to watch, because these are the best actors in Springfield, and they’ll be doing something much bigger, so it’s great that we get to enjoy their work for a little bit. Pederson actually works in L.A. and flew in to do this production.

Nathan Shelton

TAG; Have you always been a director?

Shelton: I’m an actor first and foremost – a member of the Actors Equity Union – but it’s hard to get equity work in Springfield, so I do direct a lot. I’ve been a professional actor for 16 years, and have been involved in all aspects of theatre. I started doing special effects when I was 12. I’m a big special effects guy.

TAG: Are there any effects in Bug?

Shelton: It’s loaded. We have a man onstage ripping out a molar in front of the audience. It’s pretty difficult to pull off, but I think we do a pretty good job of making it look realistic. People do a lot of damage to themselves throughout the show.

TAG: What’s the most difficult part of directing this production?

Shelton: It’s a dark play to work on, personally. And inn order to pull strong performances from people you have to confront things within yourself. That led to some pretty tense moments in rehearsals. The last two shows I’ve done were a comedy and a musical, so this was entirely different – ultra dramatic. I don’t get a chance to do that very often.

TAG: How does the Vandivort work for Bug?

Shelton: It’s my favorite theatre to work in here. (Springfield Contemporary Theatre) doesn’t make you cut things out, and I don’t like to shy away from material. The show definitely pushes the envelope, nice to have a contemporary that will allow you to come in a do a show like this in Springfield.

TAG: What’s your background?

Shelton: I was born in Springfield, then moved to Texas when I was six, and came back in 1990. I’ve been doing theatre since 1992. I graduated high school in ‘99 and have been going to (Missouri State) ever since. I have all of my hours completed for my Bachelor of Fine Arts, but still have five gen eds (general education courses) I never took, so I haven’t graduated with a degree, but pretty much have the degree.

TAG: What were some of your favorite projects in Springfield?

Shelton: Well, I try to push myself with every project I take. I’ve done Dracula twice here (2005 and ‘08) and we did Evil Dead around Halloween. The effects were fun in that, because we had a splatter section. I wanted to do something nobody in Springfield had ever seen.

TAG: How do you decide your next project?

Shelton: I don’t want to take a job just because it will pay. If it doesn’t scare me a bit and doesn’t look too challenging, it’s probably not worth taking. I feel like as an artist you should do the work you love, with the people you love. That’s what we should all be striving for.

TAG: What’s the best part for you?

Shelton: I love to watch the audience and see them react and how we‘re able to reach them. Most directors stay with the show through opening night. I have a hard time doing that. I come in and do special effects. I watch it every night. I get nervous for the actors and for certain moments. I get excited when it feels right and everything locks into place.

TAG: Why should people go to the Vandivort instead of a movie?

Shelton: Theatre is much more compelling than film in so many ways. When you are sitting in an audience, you have a truly shared experience between the audience and the actors. The action is happening live, immediately in front of you. People have an idea that theatre is boring, but it’s much more alive than film. Tickets cost about the same amount of money anymore.

Shelton's choice weapon in World War Z

TAG: Finally, and most importantly,  it’s the Zombie Revolution and you get the choice of just one weapon. What is it?

Shelton: A lobo (a blade and shovel combined) – zombies are my irrational fear. I saw Night of the Living Dead when I was eight and it was horrifying. My mom and dad almost took me to therapy. I’ve been fascinated with zombies ever since. I would love to have a shotgun, but guns run out of ammunition. I have received several gifts for when it does happen (including swords and a crow bar), so I’ll be ready. Planning escape routes and what we would do pretty much got me through college.

Bug opened January 8 and runs through Jan. 23. For showtimes and tickets, visit the Vandivort website.