Red Mountain Theatre Company to build a new Arts Campus

 

BIRMINGHAM, AL – APRIL 29, 2018 – Red Mountain Theatre Company is proud to announce the start of its Second Act. From its beginning in 1979 as Summerfest Musical Theatre to the now Red Mountain Theatre Company, RMTC takes the stage for its best number yet, the creation of an arts campus in the heart of the Lakeview District in the Southside of Birmingham Alabama. On the site of a 100-year-old bread factory and previous home to ABSCO Fireplace & Patio warehouse, RMTC’s art campus will span a half city block between 27th and 28th Streets South on 5th Avenue South.
“It has been a dream for us to consolidate our programming under one roof allowing us to better serve our community,” said Executive Director Keith Cromwell. “I envision a campus that can also be a laboratory for the arts – a “collaboratory” – where artists can flourish, where for-profit and nonprofit can come together with the sparks of creativity flying to make the impossible possible.”

 

RMTC can’t do this alone. It truly takes a village to make this dream a reality. LIVE Design Group, longtime friends of the theatre, will serve as architects. Known for their innovative work in managing the development of houses of worship and large space management, Live Design has already caught the vision of creating spaces for artists to thrive. Brasfield & Gorrie is the general contractor, having supported RMTC for many years in a variety of capacities. Harbert Realty Services brings all these pieces together to keep the project moving forward. It does take a village to make dreams a reality.

 

Details on a completion date for the project, as well as the full scope of the construction process, remain in development.

 

Red Mountain Theatre Company is an organization that inspires audiences through powerful theatre experiences led by professionals who deliver engaging performances produced and presented with artistic integrity.

 

In addition to our theatre productions, we offer educational programs that build positive life skills for young people and provide growth opportunities for theatre professionals. Our Birmingham- based nonprofit organization has been inspiring audiences, changing lives and creating conversations through theatre experiences since 1979.

 

 

About LIVE Design Group
LIVE Design Group, founded in 1987, is an Architectural and Interior Design firm specializing in worship, theatre, and academic facilities for growing organizations that desire a building that reflects them – not their architect. With a responsibility to their clients’ vision and making everyone a contributor, the firm designs projects LIVE with their clients’ providing “real time” input. This innovative concept allows the client to see their design in virtual reality, maximizes resources, expedites the process and lets financial stewardship drive decisions. The firm is changing the role of the architect, not just the process.

 

About Harbert Realty Services, LLC
Founded in 1983, Harbert Realty Services, LLC (HRS), is a privately held commercial real estate organization with a clear mission: Create value for our clients and investor partners. HRS is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama and retains a team of more than 60 real estate professionals that are experts in the office, retail, medical and multi-family sectors. HRS has built its footprint throughout the southeastern United States with offices in Atlanta, Orlando and Jacksonville Florida. HRS is focused on delivering best-in-class real estate expertise in Brokerage, Leasing, Project/Construction Management, Property/Asset Management, Tenant Representation, Development and Investment Services. Separately, HRS owns ROCK Apartment Advisors (the multifamily investment sales leader in the mid-South) and Harbert Lease Solutions (a global lease administration and real estate accounting service provider). As a majority owned subsidiary of Harbert Management Corporation www.harbert.net, HRS’ mix of experience, resources and reach provides our clients a comprehensive array of professional real estate services. Value Creation Begins, Here. Learn more about HRS at www.harbertrealty.com.

 

About Brasfield & Gorrie
Founded in 1964, Brasfield & Gorrie is one of the nation’s largest privately held construction firms, providing general contracting, design-build, and construction management services for a wide variety of markets. We are skilled in construction best practices, including virtual design and construction, integrated project delivery, and lean construction, but we are best known for our preconstruction and self-perform expertise and exceptional client service. Brasfield & Gorrie has 12 offices and approximately 2,800 employees. Our 2017 revenues were $2.8 billion. Engineering News-Record ranks Brasfield & Gorrie 30th among the nation’s “Top 400 Contractors” for 2017.

 

Red Mountain Theatre Company is proud to announce the inaugural Human Rights New Works Festival, March 15-18 at the RMTC Cabaret Theatre. This four-day event will feature a variety of dramatic staged readings of new works, panel discussions, a full production of a curated piece, and talkback sessions. In its essence, the festival is a conversation and a celebration of what unites us all-our humanity.

 

For actor Nick Crawford, it is a return to Red Mountain Theatre Company after last year’s RMTC production of The Green Book. “I love working at RMTC. I always feel like I am challenged to grow as an actor and most importantly as a storyteller,” claimed Crawford.

 

Crawford will be participating in the reading Everything That’s Beautiful by playwright Elyzabeth Gregory Wilder. The story involves revolves around Luke and his wife Jess deciding to allow their 8-year-old child, a biological boy, to live as a girl and relocate in order to give the family a clean start. Luke takes a job at the local waterpark, where he meets Gaby, the girl in the mermaid tank. With money tight, Jess starts working at a local coffee shop where she meets Will. Luke and Jess each become seduced by the escape that both relationships provide, leaving their marriage strained. But when an accident threatens to expose the secret about Morgan, tensions run high. Luke finally admits the real reason they moved, a confession that could potentially destroy their family. Faced with losing his child and his family, Luke must decide what’s worth fighting for.

 
“It’s a great story with relatable characters,” explained Crawford. “I’m excited to be a part of this reading because I really think this is a special work. I believe that the issues within this work are timely and not often explored beyond the occasional mention at the dinner table. These are real struggles faced by real people. This is when theatre is at its most potent.”
 

The festival offers an opportunity for playwrights and the audience to hear these developing works for the first time. More than that, it also creates a dialogue between the playwright and the audience with a talkback session for the audience to ask questions about the work. RMTC’s hope is to continue a relationship with the writers long after the festival. RMTC invites the public to an event that will surely be engaging, enlightening, and life changing.

 

Tickets for individual readings are $10 each or you can purchase a Festival Pass for $20. Tickets for Alabama Story start at $15. For more information, visit RMTChumanrights.org.

 
Everything That’s Beautiful
RMTC Cabaret Theatre
Saturday, March 17 at 1:00 PM
By Elyzabeth Gregory Wilder

 

Tickets for individual readings are $10 each or you can purchase a Readings Pass for $20. Tickets for Alabama Story start at $15. For more information, visit RMTChumanrights.org.

 

Red Mountain Theatre Company is proud to announce the inaugural Human Rights New Works Festival, March 15-18 at the RMTC Cabaret Theatre. This four-day event will feature a variety of dramatic staged readings of new works, panel discussions, a full production of a curated piece, and talkback sessions. In its essence, the festival is a conversation and a celebration of what unites us all-our humanity.

 

For Alie B. Gorrie, this is a homecoming for the young, New York City-based actress and Mountain Brook native who grew up training with Red Mountain Theatre Company as well as later performing in RMTC productions. “I am so happy to be back at RMTC working on a show that has made such an impact on me. Since moving to NYC three years ago, I have spent most of my time working on new theatre. It is such a gift to get to come home and work on something new and fresh,” stated Gorrie.

 

Gorrie will be participating in the reading of Sam’s Room, a pop concert dramedy that follows Sam, a teenager in 1998 with nonverbal special needs, on his path to find a way to communicate. Shifting between cruel reality and pop star fantasy, Sam’s Room powerfully reveals the universal struggle with communication by giving a voice to someone who’s never had one. “We get a glimpse into the mind of a teenager who is wildly creative, witty, and openhearted. He experiences the rollercoaster of teenage emotions just like everyone else, but the audience gets to hear Sam. By understanding him, we can go out into the world and have a deeper sense of compassion to those like him,” described Gorrie.

 

Gorrie will be playing multiple roles in the reading, but predominantly Sally, the kindhearted and supportive student aid for Sam. She has been conducting research in order to truly understand the situation of the character. Gorrie said, “My brother works with adults that have special needs, so he has been a great resource for me. I have also been watching documentaries to truly get into the mind of Sam. When I saw Sam’s Room in New York, I realized how much it affected me and I want to honor the story as best as I can.”

 

When it came to the big picture of the Human Rights New Works Festival, Gorrie reflected, “The festival gives the community an inside look at new theatre. It’s incredible that a theatre in Alabama gets to host new writers and bring their work to life in a mission-driven way. The festival is a great opportunity to induce all kinds of social change. I think people are nervous to talk about their feelings about social issues. Theatre allows these issues to be expressed in a dynamic way. By seeing these shows, maybe more members of our community can navigate through their feelings about the world and the people in it in a new way.” RMTC invites the public to an event that will surely be engaging, enlightening, and life-changing.

 

Sam Room’s
RMTC Cabaret Theatre
Saturday, March 17 at 8:30 PM
Book by Dale Sampson with Trey Coates-Mitchell
Music & Lyrics by Caitlin Bell, Marc Campbell and Dale Sampson

 

Tickets for individual readings are $10 each or you can purchase a Readings Pass for $20. Tickets for Alabama Story are $15. For more information, visit RMTChumanrights.org.

Red Mountain Theatre Company is proud to announce the inaugural Human Rights New Works Festival, March 15-18 at the RMTC Cabaret Theatre. This four day event will feature a variety of dramatic staged readings of new works, panel discussions, a full production of a curated piece, and talkback sessions. In its essence, the festival is a conversation and a celebration of what unites us all-our humanity.

 

One of the four readings featured is Sam’s Room, a pop concert dramedy that follows Sam, a teenager in 1998 with nonverbal special needs, on his path to find a way to communicate. Shifting between cruel reality and pop star fantasy, Sam’s Room powerfully reveals the universal struggle with communication by giving a voice to someone who’s never had one.

 

University of Montevallo Theatre Professor and Department Chair David Callaghan has never been shy to take the helm of an ambitious project. Serving as director of Sam’s Room, Dr. Callaghan was connected to the work when approached about participating in the Human Rights New Works Festival. When reflecting on the work, Callaghan stated,”I was attracted to the theatricality of it. I recently directed Spring Awakening and it had a similar driving principle that every teenager envisions themselves as a rock star in the privacy of their bedroom. It’s the story of their dreamscapes and how they transcend those boundaries. I connected that to Sam’s Room and Sam’s need to communicate.”

 

On a larger scope, Dr. Callaghan believes this delivers a much larger social message on a local, regional, national, and global scale. “It generates awareness to society about students on the spectrum. Over the years, it has become a larger part of our educational landscape. It further diminishes a stigma about individuals with special need and allows them and their families to feel more inclusive. Hopefully, it makes people more aware of our shared humanity and live theatre creates a space for thoughtful reflection in the midst of our overloaded lives,” Callaghan noted.

 

As it regards to the Human Rights New Works Festival, Dr. Callaghan is excited about the upcoming event and what it means for the city of Birmingham. “It’s the first time Birmingham is presenting a platform on such a scale. I’m really interested in musicals and plays that engage social themes. It’s a tremendous achievement for RMTC and I am very happy for them. The festival is an ambitious and exciting event.”
 

RMTC is ecstatic to have Dr. Callaghan on board for an event that hopes to open the doors of communication among the artist, the individual, and the community overall. RMTC invites the public to an event that will surely be engaging, enlightening, and life changing.

 

Sam Room’s
RMTC Cabaret Theatre
Saturday, March 17 at 8:30PM
Book by Dale Sampson with Trey Coates-Mitchell
Music & Lyrics by Caitlin Bell, Marc Campbell and Dale Sampson

 

¬¬Tickets for individual readings are $10 each or you can purchase a Readings Pass for $20. Tickets for Alabama Story are $15. For more information, visit RMTChumanrights.org.

Red Mountain Theatre Company happily announces it is serving as above title producer for the Broadway revival of Once On This Island now playing the Circle in the Square Theatre.

The flavors of the Caribbean come to life in this beautiful, wrong-side-of-the tracks tale of a peasant girl, Ti Moune, falling in love with a wealthy boy, Daniel. Ti Moune dances and sings her way to our hearts as she encounters the roadblocks of prejudice, hatred, and death along her journey to love.
 
For Executive Director Keith Cromwell, RMTC is expanding the company’s horizons and serving the mission to enrich, educate and engage communities. “The story of the musical is at the center of the company’s mission. I hope people will see the show and the inspiration of giving and taking care of each other as fellow human beings. Sitting in the theater at previews, I had tears in my eyes watching audience immersed in the story and taken on a magical journey. To use a lyric from the show, “this is why we tell the story”,” Cromwell stated.
 
The investment in the production is one more step to take Red Mountain Theatre Company to the next level. “We are eager to further our involvement as a regional theatre on the national stage. Our involvement in Broadway shows displays that testament and we are investing in the future of the art form known as musical theatre. We seek work that lends itself to participating in the healing of our communities and our nation. We are delivering a signal to up-and-coming artists that Red Mountain Theatre Company is a safe place of incubation within the warmth of southern hospitality,” Cromwell poignantly claimed. The journey continues and the future seems bright for RMTC.
 
Once on This Island is directed by Michael Arden and choreographed by Camille A. Brown with book and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens and music by Stephen Flaherty. The musical is based on the Rosa Guy novel My Love, Love and will feature new orchestrations by original orchestrator Michael Starobin, joined by AnnMarie Milazzo. You can purchase tickets by visiting onceonthisisland.com or calling the box office at 1-800-447-7400.
 
Starring:

Phillip Boykin: Tonton Julian
Tamyra Gray: Papa Ge
Hailey Kilgore: Ti Moune
Norm Lewis: Agwe
Kenita R. Miller: Mama Euralie
Alex Newell: Asaka
Isaac Powell: Daniel
Lee Salonga: Erzulie

Red Mountain Theatre Company kindly welcomes the newest addition to its staff, a veteran of the Birmingham theatre scene, Henry Scott, as Artist in Residence. Henry’s relationship with Birmingham began in 1986 as a freshman in the theatre department at Birmingham-Southern College. In his 27-year career as a theatre artist and teacher, he has often returned to Birmingham and has grown to consider RMTC his theatrical home.
 
Scott left BSC after a year-and-a-half and enrolled in the conservatory program at Webster University in St. Louis, but Birmingham always seemed to call him back. “In 1995 my professor at Birmingham-Southern, Michael Flowers, called and asked if I would choreograph Peter Pan for Birmingham Summerfest. The next summer I was invited to direct and choreograph Godspell at the Alabama Theatre. That was the first time that I sat in the driver’s seat. I loved imagining and communicating the framework of the show to the actors and found that I had the capacity to hold space for the actors to develop and mature their performances in an effective way. It was a defining experience.”
 
For the previous six years, Scott worked as a performer traveling the world in tours of Bye Bye Birdie, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, West Side Story, and Grease. But life on the road began to wear thin and, after directing Godspell in Birmingham, Scott began to refocus his passion and re-imagine himself as a director/choreographer and teacher. He left New York City and made his way to Arizona where he spent six months living on the side of a mountain, learned to meditate and play the guitar, and figured out the next phase of life.
 
His personal journey would lead him back home, to Georgia, to head the theatre department at Woodward Academy (K-12) for six years, then to Kennesaw State University to teach in the Department of Theatre, Performance Studies, and Dance. After eight years of teaching at Kennesaw State, he would run a meditation center in Delaware before returning to Birmingham to direct and choreograph RMTC’s successful production of Dreamgirls. Henry is back with RMTC and is eager to engage in all the opportunities that are presented to him.
 
“I love Red Mountain Theatre Company because it is a multi-faceted organization interested in engaging the whole human being, the whole human experience. There are offerings that entertain, offerings that educate, offerings that challenge us and ask us to define and re-define ourselves as we relate to the world in which we live.”
 
Scott is especially excited about working on the Human Rights Festival, a four-day festival of new works to inspire, engage, and transform audiences. It’s an opportunity for him to continue his message that the arts can connect us and help us to overcome our perception of separation. As Scott says it best, “aim at something that is beautiful and meaningful. That is what the arts allow us to do.”

 

In the highly competitive industry of professional theatre, it is sometimes hard to sit back and realize the many bonds and friendships formed by people as they face the trials and tribulations of their career. The friendship between RMTC alum Audrey Cardwell and fellow performer Veronica J. Kuehn has been budding over the last few years and they are teaming up to deliver a night to remember in Broadway Night at the Cabaret opening September 28-30 at the RMTC Cabaret Theatre.

 

Unlike Audrey, Veronica will be performing with RMTC for the first time. More than that, this will be the New Jersey native’s first adventure into the city of Birmingham and the state of Alabama. Despite the unfamiliar territory, she is ecstatic and flattered to be performing alongside somebody she has grown to call her friend. “Audrey and I met doing two productions of Guys and Dolls. The first time at Asolo Repertory Theatre and again this past summer at the Old Globe in San Diego. In rehearsals, we had so much fun working together. We notice a lot of performers in NYC doing solo shows at venues like 54 Below, but Audrey and I thought it would be even more exciting to put together a show for the two of us. We just have so much respect for each other’s talent and have such a good time onstage together,” stated Kuehn.

Her life in the theatre has certainly had on impact on her since she was a shy seven-year-old participating in community theatre. Kuehn reminisced, “It was a gradual build up. People knew I had a nice voice, but I wasn’t bitten by the bug yet. I was strongly pursuing gymnastics, but when I was twelve I was cast in Annie in the title role. Unfortunately, I broke my arm in gymnastics and I was worried I wasn’t going to play Annie. I would get the opportunity to perform wearing a cast and I realized I was missing gymnastic practices due to the injury and was okay with it. In high school, I was interested in performing theatre professionally and when I realized I could achieve that I wanted to pursue it further.”

 

Kuehn has tasted success in her endeavors with several regional credits as well as performing on Broadway in Mamma Mia! as Ali and in the Off-Broadway productions of Avenue Q as Kate Monster/Lucy and Clinton The Musical as Monica. This 2017 holiday season she’ll be back at Madison Square Garden, performing in the National Tour of Elf: The Musical (Jovie). Working alongside students of the RMTC Conservatory, Kuehn’s experience is a great opportunity for them to learn under a tremendous performer. “Anything I have learned in the past ten years is that this business is hard. If you really want to pursuit, you have to work as hard as you can to get better with your craft, know who you are, and what is important to you. Just be yourself,” said Kuehn.