Tympanic Theater Company Blog » Behind The Scenes

Read’N'Hump’N'Show’N'Tell

Susan Myburgh — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 19:00:32 +0000

Tympanic Theatre Company is thrilled to announce the launch of our ongoing outreach initiative, Read'N'Hump'N'Show'N'Tell, a reading series which will take place on the third Wednesday (hump day) of every other month. The aim of this series is to present new work from writers who haven't regularly worked with Tympanic, or perhaps aren't regularly playwrights at all. Each reading is an opportunity for a new writer to hear their work read out loud in front of a roomful of people consisting of friends, artists, and anyone else interested in attending. A post-reading discussion will provide feedback to the writer amid food, drink, and good company.

Admission is completely free and readings will be held at a different location every month, so be sure to check our website and facebook page for details, or sign up for our mailing list and we'll keep you in the loop. We're very excited to hear fresh stories from fresh writers while expanding our Tympanic family, and we hope you'll join us!

Our first reading will be:

A LIFE LESS MEANINGFUL by PJ McGonagle

Wed, January 18, at 7pm

4922 N. Claremont Ave, 2nd Floor

Space is limited, so e-mail susan@tympanictheatre.org to RSVP!

MEET the cast – amy dellagiarino

Susan Myburgh — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 13:19:06 +0000

It's here…

We're in full swing with rehearsals for Orange Orbs, the first show of our 5th Season, set to open November 25th at The Oracle Theatre. Set in a Florida cornfield on Halloween Night, Orange Orbs follows two teenagers who find a baby abandoned in a pumpkin. As they try to return the child to its rightful guardian, they encounter two spectral figures and become entangled in a feud that's older and bloodier than the fields themselves. Meet Amy Dellagiarino, playing one of the spectral beings that inhabit this part southern gothic world.

Who are you and what are you doing here?

I'm the youngest child in my family and because of that I'm probably here to prove myself in some way. But seriously, every time I approach a new role the goal is always to be able to create a living human being who can reach an audience member in some way. Also, I'm probably here to remind everyone to floss everyday. Seriously. I just went to the dentist. That stuff is important.

Who is your inner local legend (real or fictional) and what makes you so darn legendary?

I feel like the inner me is the perfect blend of Christopher Walken and Madeline Kahn. I don't think I need to state WHY that's legendary.

What gets you jazzed about this play, people and being here?

It's always exciting when you can get to perform in NEW work that is GOOD. The thing that really gets me about this play is the level of depth with all the characters. It's really great as an actor when a playwright writes a character you can really sink your teeth into — there is nothing more exciting! Plus I love how strange humanity can be, and I love theatre that isn't afraid to explore that.

MEET Joshua.

Susan Myburgh — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 22:14:15 +0000

If there's one thing you should know about Joshua Mikel, it's that he's one insanely busy and even more insanely talented dude. When looking over his many accomplishments, at the ripe age of 26, it's a wonder that he finds time to sleep. Don't believe us? Just read his bio ( I need a nap just after reading it). You'll see why Tympanic is extatic to have Muerte del Maestro be the kick off to what is sure to be one hell of a 4th season.

This is Joshua. Joshua likes to smile.

Joshua Mikel, from Conyers, Georgia, graduated in 2007 with honors from Florida State University's Theater and Creative Writing programs. His other plays include The Monster Hunters (Playscripts Inc.), Good Good Trouble on Bad Bad Island (Playscripts Inc.), Quentin G (Playscripts Inc.), Bethlehem Motor Community, My Brother's Knife, and PIRATES! Theodore Thud and the Quest for Weird Beard (Playscripts Inc.). He is Endstation Theatre Company's resident playwright. His play The Monster Hunters was commissioned by the Omaha Children's Theater and won the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival's Theater for Young Audiences award in 2007. His play, Quentin G, was a runner up for the 2006 John Cauble Short Play award at the KCACTF, won the Cody Allen Harris award from the FSU creative writing department, and was recognized by the Atlantic Coastal Conference as one of the best undergraduate honors thesis projects of 2006 at the first annual ACC Meeting of the Minds. His play Bethlehem Motor Community won the 2006 KCACTF southeastern region's short play award. His first full length My Brother's Knife was produced by Endstation Theater Company in the summer of 2009. Good Good Trouble on Bad Bad Island presented by Endstation Theatre Company world premiered at the 2010 New York City International Fringe Festival. Muerte del Maestro was a Princess Grace Fellowship semi-finalist. Aside from writing, he acts, does freelance art and design, and was the long time drummer for the rock band Look Mexico who released their sophomore record on Suburban Home Records in March of 2010.

Despite popular belief, Joshua is NOT a girl.

TWO truths and a lie about Joshua…

1.) When he was seven his best friend hit him in the face with a baseball bat.
2.) When he was twenty five he stuck his hand in his bike spoke, flipped over his handle bars and landed on his head. He's been turned over to creditors.
3.) When he was seventeen he tripped and landed on a fork that stuck in my leg. Completely ruined Chinese for him.

Joshua is very hygenic.

Check out some of Josh's rad art work too at http://www.merchline.com/joshuamikel/. He's really good…pinky promise.

Wanna learn more about Muerte del Maestro and Tymanic's 4th season just go here!

Thanks for reading!

MUERTE Begins.

Susan Myburgh — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 14:36:48 +0000

Last night was our first read-thru of MUERTE DEL MAESTRO, the first play in our 4th season written by the all around stellar Joshua Mikel. Director, actors, and designers all piled into the Ainslie Street basement to share thoughts, ideas, and general excitment for this ruckus play.

Dustin Pettigrew,whipped out a set model that had the works…and then some. Seriously, dudes. This thing even LIT UP! Literally. So sweet. Lizi Breit's sketches for the the SIX FOOT TALL bull puppet also received it's well deserved "hoots n' hollers." All in all it was an excellent kick off to what is sure to be a perfectly baller show for our 4th season.

Without any further ado, we'd like to officially announce our cast and crew for MUERTE DEL MAESTRO!!

MUERTE DEL MAESTRO
Playwright: Joshua Mikel

Director: Adam Webster

Stage Manager: Joy Martin

Production Manager: Daniel Caffrey

Dramaturg: Aaron C. Thomas

Set Design: Dustin Pettegrew

Light Design: Brian Berman
Costume Design: Crystal Mazur

Design: Stephen Ptacek
Puppet Design: Lizi Breit

Arturo: Chris Acevedo
Kay Kay: Paul E. Martinez
Pumpkin: Carla Alegre
La Muerte Negra/Pumpkin US: Megan Tabaque

Bull Puppeteers: Elizabeth Kirkwood and Katy Albert

Check out www.tympanictheatre.org for more info.

Thanks for reading!

Tympanic Theatre company just don’t stop!

tim b. — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 14:15:49 +0000

With the completion of the 3rd season and planing of the 4th you'd think the Tympaniacs would take a breather this summer. Right………..
When AD Dan Caffrey was offered some FREE theatre space he pounced on the chance without even having a project in mind! Now 6 weeks later (seriously like Dan talked to us about this first week of May) we are producing a night of apocalyptic romance fantasies written by Dan, directed by Jamie Bragg and myself.

Personally, I am really enjoying just watching it all come together right now and watching everyone involved in Extinction Fantasies pull everything off as a team. The company members (only a few of us can even work on the show because everyone else is working on other cool theatre projects in Chicago or out of town!) and the associate actors and designers are all doing a phenomenal job and have been extremely professional in a short amount of time. I'm particularly pleased to be working with two actors who I've seen grow over the past year, Jared Nell and Jenn Betancourt, as we hit the ground running to work on the intimate one act The Deer Callers. Dan basically wrote this one on a napkin 6 weeks ago and it's now a fully developed one act ready to open next Friday July 2nd!

I love it when a plan comes together which is why I welcomed the opportunity to join Tympanic this spring. When you get the right crew together and you are part of an fearless artistic team, you really get a chance to create quality theatre. It's kinda like being part of the A-Team. You never really know how you're going to pull it off but as long as you stick together it all works out in the end. I don't want to give too much away about Extinction Fantasies: Two Apocalyptic Romances by Daniel Caffrey. But I do need to express how excited I am about every artist that is involved, as well as our run in July at the side project and our participation in this year's Abbie Hoffman Festival at Mary-Arrchie in August. I pitty the fool who don't see this show!

Mr. T (imothy Bambara)

Meet The Cast: Jared Nell

Susan Myburgh — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 14:37:51 +0000

Jared Nell is honored to be a part of another show with Tympanic after his tour de force in Ozma and Harriet. After graduating from Southern Illinois University (the real one), he spent two years in St. Louis before taking the scenic I-55 North to Chicago to pursue his dream of one day appearing in the first act of a show at The Side Project. Unfortunately it seems he will have to continue the fight for that dream. Favorite roles include Renzo in The Green Bird, Angelo in Comedy of Errors, Alex in A Clockwork Orange, and Steve in Ozma and Harriet. He'd like to thank Dan and Tim for the opportunity and Obama for…well, he knows.

Which show/part are you in?
I play Gary Nitropower in Deer Callers (last name pending playwright approval)

If you met your character in real life would you be their friend? Why/why not?
Honestly I probably already am. He is very relatable and not too different from my existing friends. I think it is easy to empathize with him, and I understand his problems, his priorities, his tactics and even his mistakes.

If the world ended tomorrow what would you do with your day today?
I would probably sleep. I need to conserve my energy so I can start out my next life well rested, because who knows what I'll be? What if im a warrior or soldier of some kind? If im exhausted then ill be dragging ass during battle and no way am I being that guy. Also I have a $2 off coupon for quiznos that I would have to use before its no good.

What aspect of this project are you most excited for?
I'm looking forward to the subtle changes and character growth that happen when the scripts are set down. Big casts are always lots of fun but Ive always been a fan of working with one or two other actors when the characters' relationships and problems are deep rooted and the stakes are so high.

Tell us two truths and a lie
I realized my calling in theater by playing the mouse at Chuck E Cheese during high school
I can stop eating frosted flakes whenever I choose to stop. But it will be MY choice, no one elses
I hate Paul E. Martinez

EXTINCTION FANTASIES: two apocalyptic romances
by Daniel Caffrey
directed by Timothy Bambara and Jamie Bragg
July 4th through July 18th
Sundays at 7:00pm, Thursdays at 9:00pm
The Side Project (1439 W. Jarvis Ave.)
For tickets and more information, visit www.tympanictheatre.org

Thanks for reading!

Susan