Being on the other side

Everyone who knows us at Ground UP knows we love to do theatre! Our company is about putting on the best shows possible. It takes a lot of work behind the scenes to get a show up and running. Months of planning, scheduling, rehearsing, set building, all leading up to the performance. I love doing it, especially when I hear the audience laugh or even gasp. As much fun as it is behind the scenes, it's just as much fun to be on the other side. To sit back as an audience member, not worry about who's cue is next, what prop should be where, is quite a joy. Tonight I get to do such a thing. I get to be on the other side in the house. I'm going to see South Pacific at Lincoln Center. It's a musical theatre classic and this revival garnered tons of Tony awards. As an artist, we can only grow by looking at what others do, seeing their vision, and becoming part of the experience. Seeing other's visions mold us and influence us. So tonight, I will sit back and enjoy. Simply take in this masterpiece and all the joy it brings with it. It's a great change of pace from having to worry about budget, contracts, and ticket sales. Woo-Hoo.... you gotta love the other side.

Cornell Meeting at Pesce Pasta!

THE WAREHOUSE project is going great!

As I said, the awesome plaque that we won is on the way, but here is the dinner photo! Thanks again to Dan, Phil, Travis, Seth, Dean, Josh, Bill, and Liz Schuster!

Onwards and upwards to new, exciting things like leases and insurance! Yaaaay.

Blast from the past

Article from 2006 Playbill about our revival of Pump Boys & Dinettes at Manhattan Theatre Source in the West Village.

Pump Boys & Dinettes was our company's first production of a musical, and it was a resounding success. I still think its awesome we were the first company to revive it in New York City. I believe it did much to cement the bonds of friendship between GUP and the NYC theater community and it led to us producing The People vs. Mona the next summer.

Forces of Nature

Summer is here and I am happy. I just got back from Vermont and it keeps getting better and better. A few weeks ago Travis, Mark, Christine, Guy, Josh, Kate, and myself all took a trip up north. One of the highlights for me was when we all went to the waterfall. Christine had on the wrong shoes so she supervised while the six of us decided to climb the waterfall. We all scaled a sixty foot cliff and when we got to the top we found a couple making out in a beautiful campsite. From the campsite a trail lead us back to Christine and I enjoyed floating down the river just to the point where I could look over the edge of the waterfall.(detail adding for dramatic effect)
This is what Ground UP Productions is for me. Working hard with people you enjoy being around towards a common goal and not dying. I am so excited about what will come, fall writing workshops, winter retreats, and spring peeping toms. But right now summer is here and I am happy.
-Dan

Vacations and Birthdays

I just got back from visiting my family in Florida for my birthday. It was such an awesome vacation and one of my best birthday's because of the surprise birthday party my mom threw. I honestly was so surprised and let me tell you, it was such a cool party. I walked into a room and there were over 40 people cheering and celebrating. My mom rocks!! Doesn't she? As I walked around the room I came across a collage my mom made. It had pictures of me from when I was a baby to as recent as this past Christmas. Right there in front of me, was a pictorial representation of my life. The impact of just seeing those photos left me speechless and touched me beyond words. It amazed me how much looking at those pictures had an impact on me.

I then thought about this vacation, my birthday, and the impact a picture can make. It made me think of Ground UP. I know it seems like one has nothing to do with the other but actually they do.

I thought about GUP because it was on a Vermont vacation where I really bonded and got to know all of the great people that make up GUP. This past New Years we vacationed together for the week and weekend. We played video games, sang show tunes around the piano, had big feasts together, walked on a frozen lake, built snow people, went skiing, and brought in the New Year together. You can see in the above photos, we had a blast!!!

I then thought about birthday's and again I thought of GUP because Ground UP too is celebrating a birthday. Five amazing years. There is nothing like a grand birthday celebration. Just like that party my mom threw, we're getting 200 people together to cheer and celebrate at our Gala. And, as my mom did, our incredible graphic designer Wade put together a collage of sorts by incorporating into our Bootleg Revue Graphic various images from the past 5 seasons. Check out the graphic on our web page and see if you can figure out which image comes from what show.

Finally I thought about the pictures. How seeing something can impact us. This made me think of the incredible productions we have done. So yes, again I thought of Ground UP. Whether we made people laugh or cry, we created our own pictures in our shows. We created work with the goal to have an impact on the theatre community and its artists. From our amazing sets to our revival's to our new work premieres, we continue to create a pictorial representation of life. I know our Fall production of Letter from Algeria about three collage students discovering who they are will do just that.

Here's to great vacations and a Happy Birthday to me and Ground UP!

Creating Good Graphic Design

Every theater production requires a team of people – producer, playwright, director, actors, crew -- to bring it to fruition. As a publicist, I am particularly fond of graphic designers and the work they do. These behind-the-scenes heroes are vital to a show. The images they create are the first ones an audience member sees, and often, the reason an audience member chooses to see the show. The show’s graphic sets the audience expectation for the piece.

Think about it. What would hit TV show Glee be without its bold, vibrant graphics? Or blood-soaked vampire drama True Blood without its current onslaught of posters?

Like these TV shows, Ground UP is extremely lucky to have an amazing graphic designer on board. One of the company founders, Wade Dansby has designed Ground UP’s graphics since day one. He and producing artistic director Kate Middleton have been friends for over a decade, and they work incredibly well together.

Let’s take a look at a few of the magical posters Wade has created with Ground UP Productions:

2005 – The House of Yes by Wendy MacLeod. The play about a Jackie O-loving woman and her twisted family received the collage treatment. Wade says, “The House of Yes was notable because Kate and I came up with the concept together as we do on many graphics, but then she cut out many of the pieces from magazines and then I put it all together, adjusted it to work and added all the Typography. It was definitely the most collaborative of all our graphics.”


2006 – Pump Boys and Dinettes Conceived and Written by John Foley, Mark Hardwick,Debra Monk, Cass Morgan, John Schimmel, and Jim Wann. Wade says, “This graphic is literal. Images of gas pump and diner, filtered to make them look good together and as if it were a hot southern summer's day with heat emanating off the asphalt. As well the Gas station sign altered to be the show title. Jim Wann suggested we use Gasso as the brand name as that is what they used on their original graphics. Had a lot of fun adding the rust on the sign with the creator names.”


2007 – The People vs. Mona by Jim Wann and Patricia Miller. Ground UP presented the New York premiere of this down home ensemble musical to great critical acclaim in the summer of 2007. Wade says, “I really enjoyed coming up with the concept to make illustrations with an outsider art style ... and then creating all the different ensemble characters. It also created excellent marketing opportunities with tee shirts, individual character posters and other items. I was thrilled that Samuel French asked to license the graphics for future productions.”


2007 – Baby with the Bathwater by Christopher Durang. This biting comedy gets the whimsical duck treatment. Audience members were also treated to a free rubber duckie. One was placed on every seat in Manhattan Theatre Source before the start of each performance. Wade says, “I like this one too. I must give some credit to the director, Kevin Connell. He suggested using a rubber duck with a Pepto pink background. I found the right duck, with the eyes looking up and added the falling brick and typography.”


2009 – Barefoot in the Park by Neil Simon. Ground UP produced a stellar, environmental revival of Neil Simon’s classic play about a newlywed couple. What Wade says about the graphic, “Its style is rooted in the silkscreen 2 color poster art of the 1960's. It is simple light and fun. I even made the colors slightly off register and transparent to approximate the faux silkscreen look”

To see all of Ground UP's graphic art and to learn about previous productions, visit our website.

Lanie

Big Congrats...

Short post today, folks, just wanted to fill y'all in on some AWESOME news in the Ground UP world...

First of all, the fabulous Guy Olivieri has published a BOOK! Yes I said BOOK.
It's called, "So You Wanna Be An Actor?" and it's a straight forward, clear-headed approach to pursuing the acting career that you love without losing your head.
Huge kudos, Guy, and Wade Dansby for the hot graphics!
Get it online at Amazon.com: https://www.createspace.com/3419058
Go get yourself a copy so that you can be an actor!!

Up next in The Warehouse world, the Ground UP Productions Cornell group just won 1st place at the Cornell Business School Fair last week. We even got a plaque!
For those of you who don't know, we are creating a new branch of Ground UP to help other non-profits store those awesome sets they built, so they don't go in the garbage after a production. At a very low cost, other companies can use our space so that they can re-use sets or set pieces in the future. We even pick it up for you! The growth opportunities are unlimited in a city with over 550 non-profit theater companies, and thanks to Cornell and help from the BRI Program since October, we are gonna see where it can go!
Muchos gracias to Dan, Travis, Seth, and the BRI Team of Dean, Bill and Josh!
(I will post a pic of the plaque when I get it.)

Finally, I just wanted to announce our UNC cast and crew for the LETTER FROM ALGERIA workshop in August. As always, we will be journeying down South for a week-in-residency at UNC Chapel Hill in late August. And for the first time ever, the cast will also be joining us in NYC for master classes, rehearsals, and a networking party in early August to jump-start the residency. Performances at UNC in the Kenan Theatre will be: August 27-29th.

Cast: Walter-Josh Wolonick, Tim-Bryan Burton, Ali-Sarah Berk, and Hugo-Jeff Meanza.
Crew: Stage Manager-Andrew Slater, ASM-Ali Campbell, Scenic Design Team- Christine Zagrobelny and Jeffrey Sullivan, Lighting-Patrick Daly, Sound-Travis Wright, Props- Jess Adams, Costumes- Ashley Gunsteen, and PR- Rebecca Watson. And directed by me!

You can get more info at:
www.groundupproductions.org/UNC/UNC_Outreach_2010.html

CONGRATS EVERYONE!

THE BOOTLEG REVUE

It's that time of year again ...

It's time for the annual Ground UP Gala. And this time, we're celebrating FIVE YEARS.
(That's right. FIVE YEARS.)

This year, we're celebrating the anniversary with...

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THE BOOTLEG REVUE
A Five Year Tribute to Ground UP featuring some of our favorite tunes, performed by some of your Ground UP favorite faces.

Performers will include: Natalie Douglas, Barry Wyner, Ewalt and Walker, Franklin Golden, and many more! The event will also feature a live auction and Southern food and drinks.


Doors open at 8pm. Show is at 9pm.
Tickets are only $45. You can buy your tickets online by visiting http://www.groundupproductions.org/.

The event is being held at The 13th Street Theatre, 136 East 13th Street, New York City.
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Every year, Ground UP celebrates its anniversary by hosting a gala. We've had a BlueGrass Bash and even a Rock Party on a BOAT!


Last year, it was a 60's style cocktail party at the Scholastic Event Center Rooftop Terrace. Apollo Run provided some great jazzy tunes to eat, drink, and gaze at the beautiful SoHo skyline at nighttime. We even had face painting and balloon animals by Tudie and Sammie and palm reading by Kristall Richardson.


Here are some highlights from last year's ROOFTOP RENDEZVOUS:

The Terrace!

Apollo Run - The Band!

As you can see from the pictures above, Ground UP knows how to throw a gala. We hope that you'll join us to celebrate our 5th Anniversary. All the proceeds from the gala will go towards funding our season, including LETTER FROM ALGERIA, our fall production.

We hope to see you at the Bootleg Revue!
(I'll be in the one in cowboy boots...)

What's in store for Ground UP this week - May 3, 2010

Hello Bloggers and Bloggets,

Welcome to GUP's blog. This is Phil Ruvelas, Managing Director for Ground UP Productions. As Kate mentioned, twice a week you will be hearing from the many company members of GUP. So far you've heard from Kate and Guy, two outstanding leaders that shape this fantastic company. Today you get to hear from me. In fact, Kate and I will be taking turns every week and what we hope to do is share with you how the company runs and our exciting plans for the week.

As managing director, I work with Kate, GUP's Artistic/Executive Director, to manage the various aspects of our company as well as the day to day tasks. Things we deal with include but aren't limited to season planning, budgets, bookkeeping/financials, contracts, board meetings, business plans, calendar, schedules, fundraising, graphics, marketing/public relations, website, educational program, grant applications, and shows/events (to name a few!). I know, it sounds very tedious but believe me when I say it is not. In fact, it's exciting and exhilarating. Especially when amazing things happen for the company like beating our goals for our March Mardi Gras or finding out we won a grant we applied for!!!! Even if it seems like a lot to take on, these things are critical for our success. What makes it easy for me is that GUP is made up of amazing people. Really amazing people and you'll learn that as you continue to read our blogs and hear from them yourself. I am so lucky to work with a remarkable team that make up our committees and staff.

So, we ask, what's in store for Ground UP for the week of May 3rd. Well, for starters, we are working this week to get out a massive mailing to all our tri-state patrons and supporters inviting them to our Gala, "The Bootleg Revue, Our 5th Anniversary Bash". We have an amazing evening of music, songs, and fun prepared, so hope you can join us for it. For more details about this exciting evening, be sure to come back and read Meredith's blog this Thursday. Lanie, Nick, Kate and I are also putting together our May Eblast and our Gala press release, both set to go out this Friday along with the mailing. Our Eblast emails are how we let our members and subscribers know what's going on with us each month as well as announce exciting news. Thank you to Lanie, Nick and Meredith for all of their work. They've been busy. The week will end with a very cool opportunity for Ground UP. We will be meeting with a team from Cornell University this weekend to look at a business study they have done for Ground UP. We thank them for selecting us and look forward to finding out how we can continue to grow and take advantage of every opportunity out there.

As you can see, it's a busy week, but this is only the beginning. I do hope you come back every Monday and Thursday to learn more about us and to hear from everyone that makes Ground UP the great company that it is. To learn more, visit our sleek and very cool website at www.groundupproductions.org.

See you in a couple weeks!!!!

Happy Cinco De Mayo,
Phil