John Lennon and Me opens today!

This week, the CDF StageDoor Youth Theatre Company presents John Lennon and Me by Cherie Bennett (story synopsis below).

Last night was the final dress rehearsal.  Director Charla Cochran has done an terrific job on this production with help from the technical crew:  Jordan Crenshaw, Mandy Thomas, Justin Wallace and Liz Wyngaert and the amazing cast of youth and adult actors:  Isabel Martin, Cassidy DeGreen, Anna Richardson, Marina Gurmendi, Amanda Perry, Jonathon Sweatt, Flannery Miles, Julie Meadows, Charles Meadows, Andrew Kanatani, Abigail Logue, Emily Donahue, Lilly Sharp and Sarah Goldman.

The show opens tonight at CDF’s Studio Theatre in Downtown Homewood.

Showtimes:
Thursday-Saturday, 7:30pm
Sunday, 2:30pm

Recommended for ages 10 and up.  Tickets, $10.
If you haven’t gotten your tickets yet,call 870-0073 to pay over the phone or go online and get them now!

Photos from the last dress rehearsal:

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Story Synopsis:  The winner of many national awards, this uproarious play about life, death, power and first boyfriends was adapted by the author from her popular book, Good-bye, Best Friend (Harper Paperbacks, 1993). Hollywood-wannabe Star, the ultimate Beatles fan, has her path stymied by cystic fibrosis, an inherited disease that assures a young death. She spends most of her time in the hospital, where she confronts fate with imagination by surrounding herself with MTV-inspired bodyguard Flunkies and ‘morphing’ her dreaded therapy nurse into a pro-wrestler. Then, Star gets a new roommate, Courtney, who is Star’s opposite, a pretty cheerleader and apparently not very sick. Neither girl knows much about the other’s world, but eventually they come to understand each other, and ultimately, themselves. This is a powerful play about living life to the fullest.

Tickets on SALE for John Lennon and Me

Tickets are on sale beginning today!
$10 / BUY TICKETS ONLINE

Recommended for ages 10 and up.

A play by Cherie Bennett
Directed by Charla Cochran
June 23-25 at 7:30pm
June 26 at 2:30pm

Children’s Dance Foundation’s (CDF) StageDoor Youth Theatre Company (SYTC) presents John Lennon and Me by Cherie Bennett June 23-26 at the CDF Studio Theatre in Downtown Homewood.

The winner of many national awards, this uproarious play about life, death, power and first boyfriends was adapted by the author from her popular book, Good-bye, Best Friend (Harper Paperbacks, 1993). Star, a Hollywood-wannabe and the ultimate Beatles fan, has her path stymied by cystic fibrosis, an inherited disease that assures a young death. She spends most of her time in the hospital, where she confronts fate with imagination by surrounding herself with MTV-inspired bodyguard Flunkies and ‘morphing’ her dreaded therapy nurse into a pro-wrestler. Then, Star gets a new roommate, Courtney, who is Star’s opposite, a pretty cheerleader and apparently not very sick. Neither girl knows much about the other’s world, but eventually they come to understand each other, and ultimately, themselves.

Directed by Charla Cochran, This is a powerful play about living life to the fullest.

Cochran, said “I chose this play because it touched me deeply when I first read it and it also makes me laugh.  One of the great things about a play like John Lennon & Me is the way it uses comedy to explore complicated emotional issues in a responsible and respectful way.  The playwright, Cherie Bennett, always has a real honest sense of how teenagers talk in real life and she has she has captured it perfectly in this play.”
Auditions were held in the spring for this multiple national award-winning new American classic which was a hit in New York.  John Lennon and Me features actors ages 10 to adult.

“Another thing I liked about this play,” Cochran said, “is that it offers the young actors in it, some real acting challenges.  This is some intense emotional material, in addition to the lighthearted dialogue.  It offers the perfect balance of humor and emotional turmoil for the actors to sink their teeth into.”

Cochran founded SYTC in 2005 to provide engaging, innovative, and socially relevant theatre for young performers and audiences of all ages. Like CDF’s other programs, StageDoor believes in nurturing the creative spirit in everyone, encouraging its young performers to grow artistically while at the same time providing excellent arts entertainment for our community.  This is the sixth full-scale production by StageDoor.  Most recent productions include Anne Frank and Me (also by Cherie Bennett) and Ramona Quimby.

The StageDoor program provides opportunities for young people to attend workshops and acting classes as well as participate in full-scale productions.  StageDoor will host a two-week, full-day theatre camp July 11-22 for entering 6th-9th graders.  The camp will include classes in voice and movement, ensemble building, stagecraft and improvisation as well as rehearsals for a play the students will perform for family and friends at the conclusion of the two weeks.  Registration is still open for the camp as well as upcoming Fall classes, including a Creative Drama Workshop for 1st and 2nd graders and Acting classes for 3rd through 8th graders.

John Lennon and Me runs June 23-25 at 7:30pm and June 26 at 2:30pm.  The play is recommended for ages 10 and older.  Tickets, $10, can be purchased at the door or online in advance at http://stagedoor.eventbrite.com.  Seating is limited.  The performance is funded in part by the Alabama State Council on the Arts and National Endowment for the Arts.

Children’s Dance Foundation is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1975.  CDF’s mission is to provide comprehensive dance education for all, enriching the spirit, enlivening the imagination and celebrating community.   To learn more about CDF and StageDoor, call 205/870-0073 or visit www.childrensdancefoundation.org.