The Making of... The Fairy Tale Ball- #1

Posted by Catherine Dudley

Here is a quick clip to share with you. Sorry it's a little squished! I had some camera issues. (Don't worry, the high-pitched squealing in the beginning only lasts for a few seconds!) Make sure your volume is up- Matt is pretty funny!

Lucky # 7

To me it seems that Theatre IV gets an amazing amount of work done for the size of our staff. We handle Theatre IV's season in Richmond Virginia, the huge Theatre IV on Tour operation, performing in schools and auditoriums throughout the country, and we also manage our sister organization, Barksdale Theatre in Virginia. Productions have to be directed, acted, sung, booked in venues and schools, marketed, and we will not even begin to cover the myriad accomplishments by our Production Department, who create sets, lighting, costumes, props, etc... for literally dozens of productions each season - it's like watching a magician pull an SUV out of his hat.

Somehow the stars have aligned and we are currently hiring for 7 office positions in Richmond, Virginia at once. We can go a long time without posting a job listing on our website, so I thought it worthy of mentioning here on the blog. If you'd like to be part of a staff that gets a lot done, here are the listings for August. Get 'em while they're hot!

7 Job Listings...


6 Box Office Positions
Deadline August 15, 2007

Theatre IV and Barksdale Theatre are seeking friendly and professional people for 6 positions in our Box Office beginning in September. Great customer service skills are our main requirement; our Box Office staff must work well with one another and be the first point of contact with the public, so a friendly attitude is a must. Computer skills are also required. Previous box office experience is preferred, but is not required.

All positions are hourly and pay $8/hr. They differ in schedule.

How to Apply:

UPDATE: This position has since been filled. However, if you would like to send a resume to be kept on file for future box office openings, please send an email to Joy Ross, our Box Office Manager, at j.corbin@theatreivrichmond.org.

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1 School Tour Dept. Position
(UPDATE: This position has since been filled. Thanks to all who applied.)

The tour department at Theatre IV is looking for a pro-active assistant in our school tour division at our offices in Richmond VA. Primary duties include booking Hugs and Kisses performances through phone contact with educators throughout Virginia. Hugs and Kisses is the principal child sexual abuse prevention program of the Commonwealth of Virginia. This highly effective and acclaimed musical play, now in its 25th year of touring, changes lives and helps keep children safe. Candidate will also assist Arts in Education Manager in the day-to-day activities of the school tour department.

Jessica Daugherty
Internet Services Mgr.

Tenth Annual Fairy Tale Ball

I have to say that our Tenth Annual Fairy Tale Ball truly felt like the family event of the season! Where else in town can you go to a black tie event like this AND bring your kids? It’s a fun evening for the whole family. This year’s theme for the event was in conjunction with our season closer, The Wizard of Oz, which gave the designers, Terrie and David Powers lots of decorating ideas. This is the second year that I have planned the event, and I feel that the difference in this year’s and last year’s is world’s different. I had a much better time planning this year after having one year’s experience managing this event, since I had learned the in’s and out’s and had more of an understanding of how things worked. If you haven’t attended the event before, there are several components including a silent and live auction, several children’s activities, a catered buffet, glamorous invitations, a live band and other entertainers. The planning process begins in about October and we work all the way up until the big day. Thanks to the strong committee involvement heading up each of these components with me, our designer and builder, and an amazing staff, we were able to pull off a spectacular event. Theatre IV board member, Suzanne Wishnack Morris, who followed Anne Murphy Doulgas as chair of the event, headed this year’s committee. Both have been a pleasure to work with and I am so grateful to have such dedicated friends and supporters of Theatre IV. Suzanne and I were very pleased with this year’s attendance and fundraising numbers. We had one of the biggest turn out’s in year’s, at about 700 guests, and ended up above our fundraising goal at approximately $120,000. Next year’s date hasn’t been confirmed yet, but we hope everyone will join us again for another fun filled evening themed in conjunction with our 07-08 closer, Peter Pan. If you are interested in volunteering or becoming a corporate sponsor, don’t hesitate to contact me for more information!

Jennings Whiteway, Theatre IV Event Manager

Munchkins in Oz

As Wizard and the Professor, I have a lot of time in between those characters to hang with the kids and their parents in the Little Theatre. I believe the reason we have such wonderful children auditioning for our Richmond, Va shows is a direct reflection of the great fun that is the Fairy Tale Ball. Where else can kids and parents go, each dressing up in their favorite outfit, and having the most enjoyable family evening in town! The bond that happens between kids is something that will last a lifetime.

I grew up in southwestern Virginia and had the great pleasure to go to Barter Theatre in Abingdon in the third grade to see Our Town. That experience set me on the road to the lifestyle that has sustained me all these years. I think the Fairy Tale Ball will have a similar effect on the kids that attend.

First Friday Fun at the Empire

You really missed out on something great if you weren’t braving the slight chill on Broad Street this past Friday for Theatre IV’s first time participation in the First Friday Artwalk. The event is held on the first Friday of each month, rain or shine. This unique cultural event showcases Richmond's thriving arts community, focusing on the diverse arts and cultural venues located along the Historic Broad Street Corridor. The Empire got dressed in its best for the event which featured The Richmond Indigenous Gourd Orchestra, which resides in Richmond, Virginia, where members grow gourds, make instruments and create music. They really drew in the crowds with their unique sound and dramatic look.

I was behind the bar serving up drinks with another familiar face to local theatre-goers, Eddie Tavares. In front of house giving tours of the inside of the theatre was Catherine Dudley (who also designs the site's slideshows), explaining its history and taking care of our featured artist Robert Meganck, who had his wares on display and for sale. You may recognize his name as the award-winning illustrator of the last 2 seasons of Barksdale Theatre show posters.

The Empire has come under the spell of The Wizard of Oz and has sprung 2 huge ruby red slippers on top of the marquee. If you haven’t driven by recently it’s really a cool sight. Let’s hope they remain here this time (see the ps). We were servin’ up some libations behind the full bar which spotlighted the Ruby Red Slipper Sipper in honor of the night. Unfortunately we won’t be able to participate in May’s Artwalk, but we are excited to be using the space for our huge production of The Wizard of Oz. We will be back in June stronger than ever with all new artists and performances. More to come on that next month. We hope to see you there.

http://www.firstfridaysrichmond.com/
http://www.gourdorchestra.com/
http://www.meganck.com/

ps. If you’re interested in what happened to the slippers back in the day look to the previous post, explaining their mysterious disappearance.

Ruby Red Robbery

I warn you this is a first hand account, and it may be disturbing to some readers.

"During the last run of The Wizard of Oz in 1999, we had very large slippers made of Styrofoam, all decked out in red glitter and mounted and wired up on the top of the marquee. One morning, I arrived at the theatre to find that one of the shoes was missing! I could not believe that anyone would have the intestinal fortitude to pull off the theft of the symbol of one of the most popular movies of all times. I called the police and after some careful investigative work, they followed the glitter trail up the sidewalk and up to an apartment above the street. There, they found the pieces of the shoe and after talking to the college age occupants of the apartment, found the rest of the ruby slipper in the dumpster out back. We were able to piece it back together and back up it went. We could not have bought all the press that the theft got us! Something good out of something bad..."

Gordon Bass
Tour Manager

Theatre IV

For info on the hoodlum(s) who took the REAL slippers from the movie check out these sites:
Tragedy Strikes Ruby Slippers
NPR: The Case of the Missing Ruby Slippers