The Little Show That Could

Look at this adorable cast!

Everyone should come see Every Christmas Story Ever Told (And Then Some!) while you still have the chance. Our holiday show this year is truly The Little Show That Could. And to make our holidays warmer, we need YOU to come see it brought to life.

Three actors, three stage techs/dressers, one director/set designer, one producer/sound tech, one heck of a fun show.

We're not quite halfway through the run now. We've promoting the show everywhere, from Facebook to WLBT to e-mail blasts to shiny postcards to WLEZ and even on YouTube. (Okay, so we're late on our site here, but as you can see - we've been busy. And did we mention that a lot of our board is directly involved with this little holiday gem?)

Our first night, we had an awesome but small house. Last night, we were PACKED and the audience had more fun than is probably legal here in the great state of Mississippi. We're almost sold out for Sunday, but today, Saturday, we have TWO shows and not many reservations. Please, please spread the word and plan to attend:

December 10: 2:30 AND 7:30
December 11: 7:30pm 
The Warehouse Theatre (formerly Childrens Community Theatre building), 1000 Monroe St., Jackson, MS.
All tickets are $12.00. Please call FTW at 601-301-2281 to reserve tickets or for more information.

And remember, your $12 ticket gets you the show, free cookies and cider, AND the chance to see a giant blow-up nutcracker... among other things! So come see the show. Otherwise, the actors will suffer from DAS, and it will be your fault. :( What is DAS, you ask? Well... remember those YouTube videos we mentioned? Here is one of them, a PSA that speaks to this important theatrical issue:



Thank you. And happy holidays!

Can't handle seeing "A Christmas Carol" one more time? Here's the antidote (or in the case of this year, the "Annie"-dote!)

FTW presents the Jackson premiere of the holiday seasonal comedy EVERY CHRISTMAS STORY EVER TOLD (AND THEN SOME) by Michael Carleton, James FitzGerald, and John K. Alvarez. Directed by Richard Lawrence, the show packs every beloved holiday tale and tradition you can think of into a physically dexterous comedic romp for three actors, including FTW veterans John Howell and Beth Kander, along with newcomer Scott Stinson. Audiences will get Cliff's Notes versions of multiple classics, including "The Grinch," "Frosty the Snowman," "Charlie Brown," and a non-trademark infringing rendition of "Gustav, the Green-Nosed Reingoat," while characters from "It's a Wonderful Life," stumble in and out of "A Christmas Carol." The show ends with a frenzy of caroling that attempts to stuff every known holiday jingle into a two-minute mashup.

From Hanukah to Whoville, and sharp satire to silly slapstick, this family-friendly frolic has something for the naughty and the nice! So grab Tiny Tim, shout "Bah, humbug!" and enjoy this hilarious tour-de-farce that will have you laughing harder than spiked eggnog!

Performances will be December 8-11 (Thursday-Sunday) at 7:30 p.m. nightly, with a Saturday matinee at 2:30 p.m., at The Warehouse Theatre (formerly Childrens Community Theatre building), 1000 Monroe St., Jackson, MS. All tickets are $12.00. Seating is limited, so reservations (with Visa/MC) are encouraged. Please call FTW at 601-301-2281 to reserve tickets or for more information.

Produced by special arrangement with Playscripts, Inc. (www.playscripts.com). This show is made possible in part by the generous support of New Stage Theatre.

THEY'RE BACK...!! THE MONSTER MONOLOGUES return!

After FTW's 2009 World Premiere of the homegrown-holiday-horror-comedy THE MONSTER MONOLOGUES, we're back with a new spook-tacular cast and a few surprises.

When "The 50 Scariest Monsters" list came out, The Fly didn't make the cut, and now the poor bugger's dead. Join us at the Monster Mortuary for his funeral, where 13 of his fellow horror-lebrities aren't at all shy about surfacing their own creepy issues! Like:

"I'm the scariest of all, right? RIGHT??"

"Who killed The Fly, and, more importantly, did he leave me anything?"

"Group therapy is tremndously helpful."

"LACTOSE INTOLERANCE!!!"

Delightfully macabre, but more farce than fierce, this 90-minute, family friendly show is a perfect way to celebrate the Halloween season.

Thanks again to our original Jackson, MS playwrights, (in no boo-ticluar order): Beth Kander, Opie Cooper, Brad Bishop, Danny Dauphin, Brent Hearn, John Howell, and Bret Kenyon for creating this Mississippi Theatre Association award-winning show which played to eight sold-out audiences at its 2009 premiere.

Our 2011 cast includes Whitney Barkley, Mandy Myers, Erin Read, Brent Hearn, Kyle Henderson, Clif Hogan, Michael Kinslow, Clif Kirkland, Michael McNally, Chris Roebuck, Darrell Troth, and Wayne Thomas, who will be bringing all your favorite classic horror characters to the stage.

OCTOBER 27-31 (THU - MON) @ 7:30 P.M.

*PLUS*

TWO SPECIAL "LATE-NIGHT" SHOWS

OCTOBER 28 & 29 (FRI & SAT) @ 10:00 P.M.

ALL SHOWS AT THE WAREHOUSE THEATRE

1000 MONROE STREET, JACKSON, MS

(ONE BLOCK SOUTH OFF FORTIFICATION IN BELHAVEN HEIGHTS)

$13.00 GENERAL ADMISSION

$10.00 STUDENTS W/ID & SENIORS 60+

SEATING IS LIMITED; RESERVATIONS ENCOURAGED

Rated PG13 for mild adult humor and language.

FOR TICKETS OR INFO CALL 601-301-ACT1

THIS PRODUCTION IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY NEW STAGE THEATRE.

What Are Audiences Saying About FTW's "ASSASSINS"?

Tonight is the final performance of FTW's production of "Assassins," and you don't want to miss it - but don't take OUR word for it. Here's what audience members are saying about the show:


"I just witnessed one of the best pieces of theatre I have seen in many years - ASSASSINS. Stellar performances, beautifully directed, fabulous design and tech. DON'T MISS IT!" - Denise Halbach, Past President, Southeastern Theatre Conference

"Dear anyone reading this.....PLEASE go see this show. It is incredible. Everyone in it is amazing. Thank you FTW for doing this show. I'm a huge fan of anything Sondheim....but this was THE ONE that I've never had a chance to see. I was beyond impressed." - Kristy Asken

"The depth and range of the talent of Fondren Theatre Workshop is amazing.....congratulations on an awesome production." - David Kweller

"Assassins is the most intriguing show you will see all year. The acting is so superb and the vocals are clear and thoroughly entertaining. The cast (and I'm a fan of each and every one of them) has outdone themselves. If you're not laughing the hair on the back of your neck is standing up. Wonderful performance!!" - Janice Weaver, Actress, Theater teacher, Mississippi Theatre Association Board Member

"ASSASSINS is a great show ...I cannot remember shorter two hours in a theatre. Amazing cast, first class singing, some of the best performances I've seen in a long time and as Stacy pointed out, it will make you think, and the Malaika - Beth scenes will keep you in stitches at appropriate times while others will forget you to breathe. Great inside look into the mind of presidential assassins." - Peter Zapletal, Director, Puppet Arts Theatre

"Go see this show! Talented cast and crew! It will make you think and entertain you at the same time." Stacy Walker, Actor/Director, Actor's Playhouse

What are you waiting for? Help us sell out our final night! Support theater in Jackson! COME SEE ASSASSINS! Last show is tonight, Sunday, August 14, at 7:30 pm - Warehouse Theater, corner of Monroe and Moody streets in Belhaven Heights neighborhood, Jackson, MS!

Assassins: August 10-14

Come see FTW's latest production:

Stephen Sondheim's ASSASSINS

Directed by Jerry Farley

August 10-14, 2011 7:30 pm each evening

The Warehouse Theatre (formerly Children's Community Theatre building)

1000 Monroe Street, Jackson, MS (Corner of Monroe & Moody, just off Fortification)

Full information:

Fondren Theatre Workshop will present the multiple Tony Award-winning Stephen Sondheim musical, ASSASSINS, August 10-14, 2011, at 7:30 p.m.

In an exciting new venture, FTW is being generously sponsored by New Stage Theatre, who is providing performance space in its recently acquired Warehouse Theatre (formerly the Children's Community Theatre building) in Belhaven Heights. The production is directed by Jerry Farley, with production assistance from Miriam Lamar, Richard Lawrence, and Diana Howell. Musical direction is by Tony Moore.

ASSASSINS was first produced Off-Broadway in 1990 by Playwrights Horizons, Inc., followed by a 2004 Broadway production which won five Tony Awards, including Best Revival, and has become a cult favorite among Sondheim afficionados for its unique structure, wry storytelling, and musical complexity. Based on an idea by Charles Gilbert, Jr., the book is by John Weidman, with music and lyrics by the incomparable Stephen Sondheim.

Set against the backdrop of a carnival combined with a political grandstand, the show is an anachronistic mash-up featuring revue-style portrayals of successful and would-be assassins of U.S. Presidents told in the musical styles of their own eras. Interweaving biographical details and urban legends, the piece prompts the viewer to consider not only the psychological imbalances and misguided passions of these individuals, but also the decay and darkness that lurk at the core of our society--not only then, but today--as we hear echoes of these past voices in our own current political rhetoric. ADVISORY: THIS PLAY CONTAINS LOUD GUNSHOTS AND MATURE LANGUAGE, AND IS RECOMMENDED FOR MATURE AUDIENCES ONLY.

The cast includes Danny Dauphin (as John Wilkes Booth), Joe Frost (Leon Czolgosz), Brent Hearn (Samuel Byck), John Howell (Lee Harvey Oswald), Beth Kander (Squeaky Fromme), Duncan McCullough (Guiseppe Zangara), Chris Moore (John Hinckley), Malaika Quarterman (Sarah Jane Moore), and James Wood (Charles Guiteau). Additional performances by Mandy Myers (as The Balladeer) and Scott Gaines (as The Proprietor) and featured ensemble members Tessa Eltzroth, Diana Howell, Richard Lawrence, Tom Lestrade, Walker Palmerton, and Roxie Randle round out the cast.

Performances will take place August 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14 (Wednesday - Sunday) at 7:30 p.m. nightly, at The Warehouse Theatre, 1000 Monroe Street, Jackson, MS. Tickets will be $20.00 general admission, and $15.00 for students/senior citizens with I.D. Seating will be strictly limited, so reservations are STRONGLY encouraged (Visa/MC required). Please call FTW at 601-982-2217 to reserve tickets or for more information. (Please do NOT call New Stage for tickets/info.) SECURE PARKING WILL BE PROVIDED.

You can also find us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/#!/fondrentheatreworkshop

ASSASSINS is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. 421 West 54th Street, New York, NY 10019
Phone: 212-541-4684; Fax: 212-397-4684. www.MTIShows.com

Leading Ladies

Thanks to everyone who supported LEADING LADIES! The benefit was a great success for Contact the Crisis Line, a wonderful partnership with the historic Brent's Drugs in Fondren, and a delight for everyone who came out to enjoy these two nights of nostalgia. Bringing the community together for a great cause and some great performances is at the heart and soul of FTW's mission.

Stay tuned for what's next with FTW: Stephen Sondheim's "ASSASSINS"!