If you were unable to attend the meeting, here is all the information we covered:

October 9th~ This Friday from 6-8 P.M., we will sending a group of Lofties to help with Feed My Starving Children @ Bielenberg. If you, and/or your parent would like to participate, all the info you need to sign up is on the website.

Pin Wheel Project~ As a part of our Community Outreach Project for Fiddler on the Roof, which focuses on refugees, we will be making pin wheels to send to children in refugee camp. For more information, talk to Isabella Wurm. Also, stayed tuned for our upcoming pinwheel making party!

We have multiple upcoming opportunities to go and see other productions: For all the info and to sign up if you are interested..here is the link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1D6LmvYlYrDQp_Yq60t6GvAGw0eNUIjEWZEJ0Ck6xQuA/edit?usp=sharing

Loftie Boo-ing!~ Our very own Quintin Walker has come up with a great idea to do Loftie Booing up until Halloween. If you would like more info to sign up, email Quintin at qwalker11@live.com

October 24th~ WCT is celebrating its 40th Anniversary and they are hosting a gala that night, so they need workers! They have asked for some Lofties to be servers at the event. For more info or if you would like to help up, see Ms. Hestwood.

October 25th~ From 12-6 P.M. the Lofties will be working at Kowalski’s bagging groceries. You and your parents can sign up for a two hour shift on this link: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040548abac283-bagging

Butter Braids~ Our annual Butter Braid fundraiser is upon us again! If you would like to get a form or if you would like more info, see Ms. Hestwood.

November 5th~CGMS is hosting a courage retreat and they would like some Lofties to help out. This is during the school day. ANY CAST MEMBER IN THE MUSICAL IS ADVISED NOT TO PARTICIPATE (There will be screaming and yelling, so we don’t want you hurting your voice!) If you would like to help out that day, see Ms.Hestwood.

Critical Review~ Spotlight Musical Theatre Program is offering an amazing opportunity for aspiring journalists. This will give you the opportunity to watch and review shows. If you are interested or you would like more information, see Brendan Finn.

Field Technique Films came to the Loft to film a portion of a Coca-Cola commercial staring East Ridge Junior, Maggie Eckberg. The film took fifth place at the Cannes Lions Festival. Congratulations to Maggie on her great work!

Coca Cola – We Got In Our Coca Cola spot got 5th place for the Cannes Lions Festival!

Please go through the following and let us know if you think something is in error! The script will be up for one week so please print what you need.Info for you:

Act I Scene Breakdown: Link

Act II Scene Breakdown: Link

Script: Link

Russian Dialect Manual: Link

Russian Dialect Audio:

Yiddish Dialect Manual: Link

Yiddish Dialect Audio: Link

Yiddish Dialect Cheat Sheet: Link

The 2015-2016 Community Outreach will kick-off next weekend as Lofties participate in Feed My Starving Children right here in Woodbury at Bielenberg Sports Complex on Friday, October 9th from 6:00pm-8:00pm. Interested students, alumni and parents are invited to sign-up with the following steps:

1. Click the link: FMSC

2. Click “Join a Group”

3. Find group: “Loft Stage”

4. Join and complete the requested information!

Finally, join us on Friday, October 9th from 6:00pm-8:00pm and make a difference for refugees around the world!

 

JOE JOHNSON, ERHS AND LOFT alumnus, artist, and polarizing beard wearer has returned from his studies at Ringling College of Art and Design in Florida to yet again loan his prodigious talents to the Loft Stage.  Joe graciously took time from his Fiddler set design work to answer seven questions.

1.  The Fiddler set is taking its style cues from the paintings of Marc Chagall.  How has that been going for you?

JJ:  It is definitely a challenge because it is such a specific style, or lack thereof, for Chagall really doesn’t fit into any group like impressionism, surrealism, etc.  It really took me a while to get in the spirit of Chagall, but I believe George and I have been able to make it work, and by studying his paintings, come up with a way very similar to how he would have painted.  We are really trying new techniques and embracing this “painterly” set, which will be unique to the Loft.

2.  What is the very first piece of art you remember creating?

JJ: Oh gosh, I have no idea.  I guess I really can’t remember a time not drawing.  I do however remember a rather specific moment when I was very young and drew on one of our walls.  Probably a dragon, haha, and my parents were very upset.  I recall tears. My tears.  But from what they have told me, they realized maybe they shouldn’t get mad and just let me do my thing. But this time, make sure he has paper.

3.  Joe, of all the art controversies in recent history, perhaps the most profound hot-button issue gripping the local art community today pertains to your facial hair.  Given your prime directive to channel the stylistic sensibilities of the clean shaven Chagall, and the very real threat posed by what scientist-artists refer to as the “hirsute interference effect,” how do you justify sporting a beard during Fiddler set design and construction?

JJ:  My beard is refraining me from answering this question.

4.  What artists, living or dead, have most inspired you?

JJ: Oh so many.  Ringling has opened a whole world of artists that I never knew about.  Inspirational, whether or not their style has influenced my own, are artists that make me want to better myself and inspire me to draw and paint.  Quite a list here, but John William Waterhouse, Edwin Austin Abbey, Lawrence Alma Tadema, Lord Frederic Leighton, any number of 19th-century painters, illustrators like Maxfield Parrish, Arthur Rackham, Edmund Dulac, N.C. Wyeth, John Howe, Alan Lee, and so, so many more!

5.  Where is your favorite place in the world?

JJ: Disneyworld is a pretty special place—I went there almost every year during my childhood.  Though I regret to say I’ve never been out of the country, but I would probably fall in love with the U.K. or Italy.

6.  Imagine a film of your life story is in the works.  Select from the following movie titles:

A.  The Joe Johnson Trilogy: Paint Hard, Paint Harder, and Paint Hard With a Vengeance
B.  Crabnado IV:  Terror at Joe’s Crab Shack
C.  Are you there, Joe? It’s Me, East Ridge:  Director’s Cut
D.  Joe Johnson:  Before The Dark Times…Before the Empire…
E.  Still Life with a Beard: Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man

JJ: First, these are all fantastic, so this is a really difficult choice. Now, I would go with “Joe Johnson: Before the Dark Times…Before the Empire…” but that’s too much of an inside joke amongst my friends.  So, I will have to say “Still Life with a Beard: Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man.” It actually sounds like a real documentary title!

7. Joe, you are a Loft legend, major talent, and–lucky for us–a freelance artist.  How can your adoring public get a piece of you?

JJ: Well I think there are many Loft Legends and major talents that have come out of ERHS theater program, but yes I’m more than open to do commissions if anyone was interested.  My preferred genre is Fantasy and Fairytales, but Landscape painting is also something I enjoy doing very much. Shoot me a question or idea at joeytjohnson18@gmail.com or you can ask me in person. I’m definitely open to ideas!  You can also visit my website, though I’m in the midst of trying to rebuild my portfolio, but it is www.jtj-illustration.com

I’d just like to say I’m very grateful for the Loft and I am very glad to be back working on Fiddler and working with such a wonderful program 🙂

Thanks, Joe!  On behalf of the Loft, the newsletter can confidently report the feeling is mutual.