Important End-of-Semester Information

One Acts becomes Showcase
To save our sanity at the end of the semester and showcase our talents on multiple levels, this year's One Acts for Charity has been changed to a Directing II and Playwriting I & II showcase. Eight plays by the Playwrighting students will be directed by Duquesne's first-ever crop of Directing II students. We will still hold auditions (to be announced at a later date) as we would have for One Acts, and since this project requires so many parts there is no lack of opportunities to get involved! We will also be collecting money for a charity to be determined, so there are no losers in this equation. The Showcase will be held on April 29, our Reading Day, to leave everyone free to enjoy Banquet and Finals Week without worrying about their extracurricular theater activities. This leads to our next announcement...

Banquet!
Woo! Banquet is scheduled for Friday May 1 this year. Keep your calendars open! Banquet is our end of the year get-together at a local restaurant to celebrate all that we have accomplished over the year. Anyone involved in a Red Masquers show this year is invited. Guests are also welcome. More information is coming soon. Speaking of Banquet...

General Meeting April 17, 2009
We will have our bi-annual general meeting on Friday, April 17 at 6pm. The most important thing we will discuss at this time is the executive board and chair positions for next year. If you are interested in running for a position you MUST attend this meeting. If you are interested in attaining a chair position (lights, sound, set, house, social, hair and make-up, public relations, costume), please speak to the current chair of that position. We need AS MANY MASQUERS AS POSSIBLE to come to this meeting for nominations. After nominations, we will then talk about...
Voting
Voting for this year's executive board (and ham sandwich) will take place from Monday April 27 through Thursday April 30. Voting for this year's executive board (and ham sandwich) will take place in the English office on the sixth floor of College Hall. Voting for this year's executive board (and ham sandwich) will be explained in greater detail at the general meeting. Don't forget to vote for this year's executive board (and ham sandwich)!
Comedian Gab Bonesso!
Fabulous Red Masquer alumna, comedian, actress, and radio personality Gab Bonesso is coming to do a show in Peter Mills Theater on April 4th at 8pm. This hilarious act also features our own Jay Keenan in several of the skits. Definitely not worth missing. Tickets are $10, but FREE with a DU ID.

Summer Company Auditions
This year's Summer Company auditions will be held April 19 from 1-4pm and April 20 from 6-10pm. The Summer Company is a theater company founded by Jay Keenan and John Lane of Duquesne University and Steve Fatla of Carlow University. They perform in Peter Mills Theater and are tied very close to the Red Masquers. For more information email John Lane at jelppt@aol.com.


As always, if you have any questions at all or see any misinformation in the above copius notes, please email us at redmasquers@gmail.com.

Revisions and Reminders

First Tuesdays Moved to 03/24/09
Due to a continuing string of conflicts, this month's First Tuesday play reading has been moved to Tuesday March 24th in Peter Mills Theater from 4:30-6:00pm. We shall be reading Georg Buchner's Danton's Death. Georg Buchner is considered by some to be the first modern playwright. Come enjoy and engage in his French Revolution drama! Viva la revolution!

One Acts Directors
If you are interested in directing for One Acts for Charity, you MUST email Katherine Flaherty at flahertyk@duq.edu TODAY! Go! Mach snell meinen Freunden!

Spotlight Light Board Operator
Spotlight is looking for a substitute light board operator for one or two nights of their upcoming Into the Woods. Unlike substitute high school teachers, substitute board operators are treated with the utmost respect and not responsible for taking attendance. Interested parties who did not abuse their temporary secondary instructors during their adolescence should contact Jake George at george569@duq.edu.

Actors for Film Project
AJ Minotti is looking for a few good Masquers to help out as actors with his Advanced Digital Video production class. Information is available here.

This LARGE Week in Masquerdom

Two Actors Needed Soon for Small Roles
Leah Cassella is looking for three bodies to fill walk-on roles in a St. Patrick's Day one-act as part of the Desmond Egan reading (exciting details below!). These two actors need to be available for Saturday-Monday rehearsals, but the times are very flexible. The performance is Tuesday at 7pm. If you are interested, contact Leah Cassella at cassellal1772@duq.edu.

Amish Monkeys Show (03/14/09)
This month the Amish Monkeys offer a new improv game or two, some favorite games, and at least one we haven't tried in a looooong time! The next performance of the Amish Monkeys, improvisational comedy troupe, is this Saturday, March 14. The troupe performs a series of outrageous sketches and games based on audience suggestion. Location is the Gemini Theater, part of the Factory, a building at 7501 Penn Ave. in Point Breeze (near the South Braddock Ave. intersection). Content is generally PG-13. For reservations, call the Gemini at (412)243-5201. Showtime is 8pm. Admission is $8--cash only, please.
Visit their REDESIGNED website at http://www.amishmonkeys.com

One Acts Directors (03/16/09)
If you are interested in directing for One Acts for Charity, you MUST email Katherine Flaherty at flahertyk@duq.edu before Monday March 16th. If you don't participate, then you hate charity.

Desmond Egan and Red Masquers Performances (03/17/09)
Come enjoy a poetry reading by Irish poet Desmond Egan and a performance of "Bedtime Story" by Sean O'Casey presented by the Red Masquers. It promises to be a perfect beginning to your St. Patrick's day celebration! Refreshments will be provided! (Not those kinds of St. Patrick's Day refreshments. Naughty, naughty, naughty!

In "Bedtime Story," John Jo Mulligan finds himself in a situation with which his pious conscience cannot cope: more or less against his will, he has spent a night with the cunning seductress Angela. Full of remorse, and dreading the ruin of his reputation, he tries to get rid of her, fearing that his pal Daniel or his landlady Miss Mossie might get to know.

First Tuesdays (03/17/09)
Due to spring break and other conflicts, this month's First Tuesday play reading has been moved to this Tuesday March 17th in Peter Mills Theater from 4:30-6:00pm. We shall be reading Georg Buchner's Danton's Death. Georg Buchner is considered by some to be the first modern playwright. Come enjoy and engage in his French Revolution drama! Viva la revolution!

Actors for Film Project (03/21/09)
Good day, Masquer folk. It's your old pal, AJ [secretary's note: this is Armand Minotti, Masquer alumnus for those of you who are sadly unfamiliar with AJ]. How would you like to be in an exciting movie film production? We're filming a short film for our Adv. Digital Video production class, and we need actors. I'm looking for 4 males and 2 females. Filming will take place on March 21 from 9am till whenever at the Beehive on the South Side [secretary's note: great place to get coffee]. The 22nd is open as a possible day of filming if we don't get everything done, but I don't see that happening (knock on wood).

If you're interested, please email me at ajguy711@gmail.com. I can email a script to you and let you know other details. And if you need a ride to the South Side on the day, that can be provided. Thanks in advance, everyone!
- AJ

Dr. Al Labriola
I must regretfully conclude this email with a message concerning Dr. Al Labriola. Dr. Labriola was a great friend of the Red Masquers and indeed all of Duquesne University. The following is the official statement from the university:
I regret to inform you that Dr. Al Labriola, Acting Dean of the McAnulty College and Graduate School of Liberal Arts, has died. Our prayers are with Dr. Labriola, his wife Regina and his family, as well as his many friends in the College, University, and throughout academia. He was one of Duquesne's leading teachers and an internationally recognized scholar. We are indebted to him for his leadership in the College and his dedication to our students.

One Acts Directors

I hope you all had a lovely spring break! Welcome back to finishing the homework you didn't do over break because you were YouTubing American's Best Dance Crew. If you lack sick wicked dance moves, here are two other ways to get involved:

One Acts Directors
Anyone interested in directing for this year's One Acts for Charity should email Katherine Flaherty at kflaherty32@gmail.com by Monday March 16th. Include your name, what play you would like to direct, your blood type, and what you think of this whole Watchmen phenomenon. Who watches the watchmen? You do. It's meta, friend.

Little Lake Auditions
If you are interested in auditioning for Little Lake Theatre's summer performances, click here for more information. Auditions are April 5th. Little Lake Theatre is about 40 minutes south of the city on Route 19 and puts on about eleven plays during their May-December season. This could be a May-December relationship that could last longer than that last one with the restraining orders attached. You can't stop our love! Do you hear me Court System of Allegheny county!

Simpleton! and One Acs

Simpleton Opens!
Today marks Charles Darwin's 200th birthday! In order to celebrate, you might visit the lecture on humans as evolutionary patchwork, enjoy a turtle ice cream sundae, pet your beagle, listen to Finch, or better yet, come to the 8pm Red Masquers opening of The Simpleton of the Unexpected Isles! A fabulous ensemble cast helps George Bernard Shaw lampoon...well everything. John Lane directs this beautiful production that is sure to dazzle your eyes and invigorate your brain.

More information is available here on the announcement blog.
Visit the Facebook event here!
One Acts Directors
Anyone interested in directing a one act play for this year's One Acts for Charity (May 1) should email Katherine Flaherty at flahertyk@duq.edu.