What an amazing night we had at our 2012 CharACTers Awards Ceremony!  It was so much fun enjoying each other’s company, reuniting with old friends, watching all the musical numbers, and seeing who won in each category that were filled with amazing talent.

The evening began with the opening song from Wicked, “No One Mourns the Wicked”, with new lyrics that announced to the audience, “Good News!  The CharACTers Awards are here!”  The song ended with me coming out in a pink ball gown and a blonde wig as Glenda as I welcomed everyone to the awards.  We then went right into a medley of all the shows that CharACTers has produced over the past five years!  It was a very emotion trip down memory lane for me personally.  Listening to songs and watching the dances from each one of these productions brought back so many memories for me and many others.  Our amazing chorus did a terrific job bringing each show to life as we quickly jumped from one show to the next. 

The rest of the evening consisted of performances from each of the 6 shows produced during the 2012 Season and a special performance from CharACTers National Award Winning Musical Theatre Troupe, CCT KIDS.  Following each performance, awards were given out to winners in a variety of categories including: Best Kiss, Best Couple, Best Orchestra, and of course, Best Actor and Actress.

The night was filled with laughter, tears, and a whole lot of love!  We even were able to enjoy an AMAZING cake baked by our very own Santana Carlton of Santana’s Studio.

The night ended with the announcement of our closing show of this season and the announcement of our proposed 2014 Season.  (I will make a separate post about this exciting news very soon.)  The chorus closed the show with a beautiful rendition of “Thank You for the Music” and a hysterical performance of “Goodbye” from The Producers.

Reliving the past FIVE YEARS OF THEATRICAL MAGIC made for a terrific evening.  I would just like to say again, thank you to each and every person who has worked so hard over the years to make this group what it is today.  May the next five years be even better.  

I love you all!

Cody Carlton – Executive Artistic Director / President

The Winners of the 2012 CharACTers Awards –

Best Show *
Peter Pan

Best Actor *
Chris Dowdy – Oliver Warbucks - Annie

Best Actress *
Santana McKinney Carlton – Peter Pan - Peter Pan

Best Supporting Actor *
Chad Miller – Rooster - Annie

Best Supporting Actress *
Sally Waldrop – Ms. Hannigan - Annie

Best Actor in the Junior Category *
Chandler Jacobs – John - Peter Pan

Best Actress in the Junior Category *
Bailey Broome – Annie - Annie

Best Supporting Actor in the Junior Category *
Payton Russell – Michael - Peter Pan

Best Supporting Actress in the Junior Category *
Ramsey Whitney – Molly - Annie

Best Newcomer Actor *
Jamie Waller – Roosevelt – Annie

Best Newcomer Actress *
Lisa Urban – Grace - Annie

Best Villain *
Jason St. John – Captain Hook - Peter Pan

Best Comedic Duo, Trio, or Quartet *
Sally Waldrop, Chad Miller, Heather Boyete – Hannigan, Rooster, Lilly - Annie

Best Cameo *
Skylar Wheat – Dewey - Legally Blonde

Best Kiss *
Santana McKinney Carlton & Rebekah Wall – Peter & Wendy (a Thimble or a Kiss) - Peter Pan

Best Overall Cast *
Annie

Best Costume Design *
Amanda Russell, Cody Carlton & Beth Grove - Peter Pan

Best Makeup and Hair Design *
Amanda Russell, Cody Carlton, Becca Whisenant - Peter Pan

Best Scenic Design *
Cody Carlton - Peter Pan

Best Ensemble *
Titanic

Best Stage Manager *
Mari Minyard - Music Man

Best Crew *
Peter Pan

Best Orchestra *
Music Man

Best Musical Number *
Ugg-A-Wugg – Peter Pan

Best Onstage Couple *
Cody Carlton & Santana McKinney Carlton – Emmett & Elle - Legally Blonde

Best Master Carpenter *
Seth Williamson - Peter Pan

Making A Difference Award 
Angie Campbell

Greetings from the stage!

Hello everyone! My name is Jacob Dowdy and I am very excited to be playing the role of Patsy in CharACTers Entertainment’s summer performance of Monty Python’s SPAMalot!

First off I suppose I should tell you a little bit about myself. I am 15 years old and attend Gadsden City High School. I love to sing and act and have been involved in the theatre since I was 8 and partook in my first show, The Jungle Book KIDS, under the direction of Cody Carlton. I’ve been in many other performances since then, some among them being Oliver!, Ragtime, Titanic: The Musical, and most recently Annie.

Theatre to most people is just a hobby, but to me and others like me, it a lifestyle. If you were to ask me what my favorite part about it was, I honestly couldn’t answer you. The answer you would probably get would be something along the lines of, “What isn’t there to like?!” You fall in love with all of it. The people you meet become family, the stage and the theatre itself becomes like a home, and the singing, dancing, and acting is like the food and drink put on your table for dinner. It is best feeling in the world to be able to come to practice and walk in to warm smiles and greetings and all the laughter you could ask for. For me you could say the theatre is what I’m addicted to, because whenever I take a break from the stage I go through what I call “theatre withdrawals” and find myself dying to get back to what I love! Whether it be back stage, out in the lobby, or on the stage performing.

Throughout my almost 8years of doing productions I’ve met friends – or rather “family” – that I hope keep throughout my whole life. People like my director, Cody Carlton, whom I have looked up to as an inspiration for many years. Being involved in an environment like this, one which inspires and is uplifting in every way, has allowed me to blossom not just socially but academically as well. I honestly believe that I would not be the person I am today without my time in the theatre and the people that I have come across along the way. They mold you; build character in you that you never knew you had before, and overall, bring out your inner “thespian” (which is without a doubt any person’s best side).

Being a part of this production is specifically special to me in the regards that I am an avid Python fan. I was first introduced to these talented men in Monty Python’s the Holy Grail when I was 11 years old and have been hooked ever since. Since that point I have become the owner of all three Python films, every aired episode of Monty Python’s Flying Circus, as well as special DVDs like un-aired recordings of the German productions, private and public interviews with the troupe, and Monty Python: LIVE at the Hollywood Bowl. These six men’s witty and hilarious, yet outrageous senses of humor have sent audiences to their knees crying from laughter for decades and from personal experience I can honestly say that they still do today.

This is sure to be an excited, extravagant, and entertaining show to say the least and I can’t wait for opening night! I’ll see you there! Until then, remember: “Always look on the bright side of life!”

Sincerely Yours,

Jacob Dowdy

Have you ever wondered where the beautiful sets that decorate the stage during a CharACTers production come from?  Each show has different demands in terms of scenery.  CharACTers works hard to give each scene the special attention it deserves -  both in the performers' performances and with excellent scenery.  

Scenic design starts early in the planning stages of a production.  The whole production team will read the script and study the show (setting, time period, etc.) to try to get a better idea of what the show will require.  In some cases, a show may have a scenic designer that will work with the director to come up with a design that will both be pleasing to the eye and functional for the performers.  

Currently, CharACTers has two scenic designers, myself (Cody Carlton) and Santana Carlton.  I have had the honor of designing the set for most all of the shows that I have directed.  Santana designed the set for her recent directorial debut, Winnie the Pooh.  Santana also serves as CharACTers Charge Artist and is in charge of the painting (both as a manager for others painting and as a muralist for many of our more difficult pieces) for each and every set piece that has ever been used in a CharACTers production.

After I have read the script and figured out how many scenes and what type of set I am wanting to do (static or moving), I begin collecting images, videos, and items that I use as inspirational pieces before I begin sketching.  There are times that I will have 100's of inspirational pieces for a single show.  I will then begin sketching the set.  I am not much of an artist but I do okay if I have a ruler to draw straight lines.

When I began working on The Civil War, I decided that I wanted a static set that would have many different levels and lighting opportunities.  I started sketching the set and this is the final product - 

Once this part is done, I make a scale floor plan on the computer.

Then a team of volunteers begin constructing the set.  Over the past several shows, our new DIT's members have been taking turns being in charge of the construction of each set.  For the Civil War, Amanda Russell is in charge of set construction.  We have been working for the past several days putting together platforms, legs, and ramps for this production.

CharACTers also reuses, salvages, and recycles scenery for each show.  When you are watching a CharACTers production, you may be seeing scenery that has been used in every production we have ever done BUT you will never know it because of the awesome painting abilities of our scenic artists.  Set construction can take months to finish!

Once the set is constructed, our scenic artists will begin painting the set and truly bring it to life.  Once the set is completely painted, the set will be taken apart and removed from our workshop and loaded onto numerous trailers, trucks, and vans.  

The scenery then makes the trip down the interstate to Wallace Hall Fine Arts Center and is completely reassembled.  Touch ups are made and the scenery is ready for opening night!

Great care is taken to make sure that each show is terrific both as an acting performance and scenically.  Next time you join us for a night of THEATRE be sure to think about all of the hard work that went into the making of the scenery as well as the awesome performances by all the local talent!

CharACTers and Gadsden State are THRILLED to be bringing SPAMALOT to the local stage this summer!

Lovingly ripped off from the classic film comedy 
MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL, SPAMALOT retells the legend of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table, and features a bevy of beautiful show girls, not to mention cows, killer rabbits, and French people. Did we mention the bevy of beautiful show girls?

Monty Python's Spamalot is the winner of three 2005 Tony Awards including Best Musical and Best Director (Mike Nichols), as well as the Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle awards for Best Musical.  The original cast recording of Monty Python’s Spamalot won the 2006 Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album.

Keep your summer open and plan on being a part of the Northeast Alabama Community Theatre premiere of SPAMALOT!  This show promises to be one of the biggest shows to ever come to Etowah County.

Auditions will be held in May!  Sign up for our email list - CLICK HERE! - to be informed about all of our upcoming events and productions.

Hey everyone!
So, I am very excited to be a part of Seussical the Musical!  This is my first venture into being the the villain, so hopefullly my version of Sour Kangaroo is mean enough. ;-)

CharACTers has been such a blessing in my life.  My first show, Hairspray, was the most life-altering experience I have ever had!  I remember being so nervous driving to the audition that I totally missed the giant twisty rainbow and drove for two extra miles.  My friend that I brought with me finally said, "You missed it back there."  I turned around, and theater has been a part of my heart ever since. Being Tracy Turnblad brought me out of my shy shell, giving me confidence to make new friends and be outgoing in all aspects of life!

Now, as Sour Kangaroo, I am channeling my inner meanie!  It's been a challenge yelling and scowling at Jason, but learning to portray different emotions is just one step closer to becoming the accomplished actress I hope to someday be!

So, HUMPH!  Humphed a voice!  

And I hope you all have a sour day ;-)

Erika Pruitt

Hello everyone! My name is Amanda Russell and I have the privilege of watching Seussical come together so beautifully. 

I made the choice, after a year and a half with Characters, to apply for the DITs program. This Director in Training program has been one of the most challenging and educational things I have ever done. It has truly helped me to understand what goes into making a production happen. That said, being the stage manager for Seussical has been my hardest task yet. Not only because I have to refrain from jumping up to dance and sing with everyone but also because of all the work it entails. However, watching this show morph and change into such a touching production is so magical.

Seussical really has some beautiful meaning to it. Dr. Seuss taught us many great lessons growing up and he always did it in the most entertaining way. He was so influential with his style and his messages. He showed us that every person is important, that we are important because of what's inside, that we can imagine any future for ourselves and achieve it if we really try, and so much more. It is just amazing to think about. Don't pass up the opportunity to see such an incredible show!

I began doing theatre in my freshman year of high school. When I finally found Characters in 2011, my junior year, I had found my home. Since then, I've done nine shows, been costume advisor, lights/sound coordinator, "stage manager" for a kids show, and am now actually stage managing a full production. Soon, I will be directing my own one act under Characters. I also cannot wait to get back on the stage myself!

I really see a long future ahead of me with this group because I feel like these people are my family. Well, I know they are. I can honestly say these people are closer to me than most of my own actual family. When you find people who mean so much to you, you can never let them go. The same goes for any dream you may have. A wise woman has told me many times, never give up on your dreams, ever. No matter what. For me, the same goes for the people you consider family. As Dr. Seuss says: "You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose."

Please come enjoy this fantastically fun show. And if you've ever wanted to be a part of a huge, fun, amazing production, come audition for something with us! We would love to have you. Come be a part of a crazy, loving family. As for that, the Doctor can help me out here too: "If you never did, you should. These things are fun and fun is good."

Thank you all for reading! :)

Amanda Russell 
Stage Manager- Seussical!

Hi!  My name is Kristi Stafford Nichols.  I have the honor of playing Gertrude McFuzz in Seussical.  This is such a fun role!  Gertrude is a bird who is not too pleased with how she looks.  Her self esteem is not too good.  During the show, she learns a valuable
lesson about accepting who she is.  What a great lesson for all of us!  

Currently, I am learning my lines and music and choreography.  Whew!  It's a lot of work, but a blast!!  Usually I am on the director's side of a production.  However, I forgot how much fun it is to perform.  I have been doing theater for 27 years.  Some of my favorite roles have been Westside Story's Maria, Luisa in The Fantastiks, June in Smoke on the Mountain and Jean Louise Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird.  My all time favorite roles are being mother to my 12 year old daughter, Anna, and being the Children's Minister and Production Minister at Meadowbrookbaptist Baptist Church.  Every week I have the privilege of producing Kidstuf, which is a virtue based, high-energy, one hour production.  I have the honor of working with such great cast members as Cody and Santana Carlton.  To be able to tell children about Jesus and perform at the same time is a dream come true.

I am soooo delighted to be in Seussical!!  I am looking forward to doing more with Characters and sharing the stage with my precious daughter.

Hello,

My name is Skylar Wheat and I am playing The Cat in the Hat in Seussical! I was so excited and gladly accepted this role. We recently just started rehearsing, but I am already getting a feel of who the Cat is and what he represents. He is the symbol of mischief and imagination. He is always thinking up new ways to have a little fun and maybe even get Jojo into a bit of trouble! I absolutely love the cameos in this show! Its going to be a ton of fun and I am truly excited. 
I am also costuming this show. As part of the Directors In Training program, I am in charge of doing the makeup and costuming of a show and I was given the task of Seussical. What a task! These aren't just animals, these characters don't even exist! (Unless you believe them to..) A heavy dose of creativity is one of the main ingredients in making these characters come to life on stage. I am so thankful for all of the help and resources given to me. I can't wait to see it all come together.

Theatre has been a major part of my life for the majority of my life. I started this journey with my first show "The Wizard of Oz" under Beth Grove's direction. I was hooked ever since. There came a point however when I stopped going. Cody and I had been in "Oliver!" together and I heard that he was having auditions for "The Jungle Book Jr." I auditioned and he gave me the part of Mowgli. I thought I knew what I was doing but I was wrong. I can remember Cody pulling me aside and explaining to me what my character was trying to do. Our friendship was no barrier to his job as a director. He told me what I was doing wrong, and how I needed to do it, at a very young age. I cannot thank him enough for that. I feel as if that moment was what broke me out of my shell and propelled me forward. Cody has always challenged me to do better and I have seen him grow an organization like none I have ever seen. I am so proud of him and what he and Santana have made of CharACTers. It amazes me when new and higher goals are set. It completely blows me away when those goals are achieved. But it cannot be done alone.

CharACTers is not just a community theatre. It is a family through and through. I really don't think you could say that enough! It is such a beautiful thing to see so many people from so many different backgrounds come together to work as one for the enjoyment of others. Theatre holds something very special to me as I know it does with so many. I really hope you come out and see Seussical! It is our gift to you! 

I can't wait to see what this experience holds for myself and for CharACTers as a whole. With each show we grow more and more, personally, and as a family. Let the fun begin!

My name is Catie Stahlkuppe. I’ve been involved with theatre for about five years. Theatre is my passion, my life, and my heart. How I got started in theatre is very personal and special to me. 

My wonderful mother has always been involved with theatre. As a child I loved her stories of being on stage and the many backstage stories too. I would drive her crazy watching videos of productions she was involved with. Maybe it is because of loving to hear stories that I started telling my own and performing every chance I got. When I was young, I had the captivated audience of my loving family and they always cheered me on. I LOVED being in the spotlight. But, it was not until I was in the seventh grade that I auditioned for a show. I made the chorus and from that point on I was hooked! 

I have been in twelve shows in the past five years and I have loved every second of each one! Characters Inc. has a VERY special place in my heart. My first Characters show was Sweeney Todd. Everyone was so loving and welcoming. Since then I have worked backstage on Legally Blond and Music Man. I also performed in the spring production of Titanic. 

Everyone with Characters is very special and I have enjoyed getting to know each one. I feel each person makes up a part of our big family. I have been able to meet and make some of my very best friends in the process and I am so very thankful for them! 

It is with great joy that I will be working with everyone again in Peter Pan. I will be playing the part of Tootles, a Lost Boy, and I am super excited to share his story. This cast is absolutely amazing! Every single person is so talented! I really encourage everyone to come see this show. Peter Pan has always been one of my favorite musicals since I saw the production starring Cathy Rigby with my Mimi in the 90’s. 

I’m so happy that I get the opportunity to help bring this story to life for my community. 

Catie Stahlkuppe 

Hi! It’s Santana again! Only this time, I’m blogging as a performer and not as a CharACTers website editor. Today I will be talking about my upcoming role as Peter Pan! I’m so very excited and honored to be playing this role. Being able to play this part is truly fulfilling a childhood dream. When I was very young, say around the age of 7, my mom introduced me to the musical stage version of Peter Pan starring Mary Martin. I was instantly hooked! I watched that old VHS over and over until I had every line memorized. For all of you youngsters, the VHS was the prequel to the DVD ;). I can vividly remember dragging my younger sister out onto our back porch and “presenting” my own version of the show. I played Peter of course and I made her play all the parts that I didn’t want haha!

Peter Pan has always been a big part of my life. From the stage version, to the Disney cartoon, to the Robin Williams movie, to the Jeremy Sumpter movie (FAVORITE). I love every bit of it! Tinkerbell has, is, and always will be my absolute favorite Disney character. My bedroom is still currently covered in Tinkerbell merchandise. Cody even calls me the Peter Pan expert because I strive to know everything there is to know about Peter Pan and the precious J.M. Barrie story. One of the highlights of my life occurred just a couple of weeks ago. My awesome fiancé took me to see Peter Pan the musical starring Cathy Rigby. Not only did I get to see one of my absolute favorite shows and witness something that I used to think I could only see on DVD IN PERSON, but I also got to meet Cathy Rigby after the show! It was amazing! We talked for just a minute and I shared with her that I too was playing Peter Pan soon. She seemed genuinely excited for me and wished me luck! Needless to say, I cried a good bit of tears that night. Tears of joy, of course! I just hope my wedding can top that.  :) Ha ha!

If I had to pick, I would say that I am most excited about flying! I don’t know how many times I jumped off our (very high) back porch and wished I could take flight. Let’s just hope I don’t crash land like I did when I was a child though!

One of the first questions I often get when talking about the musical is “Peter Pan’s a girl?” Yes! It’s played by a female! Come on, you don’t actually think a guy can do all of those tricks like Cathy right? Ok, maybe some of you genetically blessed guys can, but definitely not the average guy. So, am I looking forward to toning down my pink-sparkling-heel wearing-glitter loving-girlie girl self to play a dirty-mischievous-rambunctious-immature young boy? Of course I am! I am looking forward to exploring all of the similarities between Peter and I. What are they? Well, you’ll just have to wait until the next blog post!

Faith, Trust, and Santana Dust!