First Time in Kanas City

By Guest Blogger: Ian Jordan Subsara
Ian plays Jinx in Plaid Tidings

This is my very first time in Kansas City! In fact, this is the farthest west I’ve ever been in my whole life!! This is really a GREAT place to be for theatre – there is so much here. So far, I have gotten to see The Love List at the AHT, Evil Dead at the Off-Center, and The Seafarer at the Unicorn! And I hope to see much more while I am here.

I love working for the American Heartland Theatre, and am so privileged to have such a fantastic cast, creative team, and crew. The theatre puts me up in my own room right at the Westin Crown Center … so I don’t even have to walk outside to get to “work!” I LOVE Crown Center; there is SO much here – it’s almost as if I never have to leave. The Apothecary is a little store downstairs that carries everything you could ever need – and they even have a discount card for Crown Center employees!

I do have my car here – so I have had the opportunity to explore Kansas City a bit. I love the Plaza! During rehearsals, the guys in the show and I took a few trips over there for dinner. We went to Tomfooleries twice; I’ve also dined at Noodles & Co. – which I really enjoyed. It’s definitely not difficult to go shopping here either – aside from the Plaza, I’ve also gone to Zona Rosa and Oak Park Mall. I truly LOVE Kansas City, and hope I get the opportunity to come back and perform here again!

A Different Love List

By Guest Blogger: Shanara Gabrielle
Shanara plays Justine in The Love List

If Justine had a Love List for Bill:
1. sweetly gullible
2. is a good influence on his friends
3. intelligent
4. a natural red-head
5. a lover of statistics
6. a suspenders kind of guy
7. cautious
8. excitable
9. adorably nerdy
10. realistic, based in reality

Andrea's Love List for Leon:
1. a guy's guy
2. likes coffee and cake
3. tries really hard at darts
4. looks great in hawaiian shirts
5. likes good whiskey, but will drink any whiskey
6. irreverent
7. loves steak and eggs
8. writes books that I can read in a day
9. likes his alone time
10. he recognizes his mistakes

The Love List - Advanced Photo

Sean Grennan, Scott Cordes and Shanara Gabrielle star in The Love List at AHT.

New Release: The Love List at AHT

American Heartland Theatre Brings
Premiere Comedy The Love List to Kansas City
September 10 - October 24, 2010

Kansas City, MO: American Heartland Theatre opens its 2010-2011 season with a Kansas City Premiere comedy by prolific Canadian playwright, Norm Foster. The Love List is a hilarious play that examines the quest for perfection and the search for love.

What do you get a friend for a 50th birthday present? If he's still single, you buy him a "love list" from the local gypsy. You help him put pen to paper to come up with a list of ten qualities that define the perfect woman and, "Weird Science-style," she appears! But, just as the gorgeous dream woman appears, the scheme starts to go horribly, mysteriously and hysterically awry! It's as if Neil Simon combined The Odd Couple and The Bride of Frankenstein in this insightful and outrageously funny comedy.

American Heartland Theatre brings this charming, romantic comedy to life with three amazing talents including, Sean Grennan who is returning to Kansas City and AHT where he previously appeared in Searching for Eden: The Diary of Adam and Eve, Affluenza and Duck Hunter Shoots Angel. A long-time Chicago resident, his credits there include work with Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, The Court Theatre, and The Goodman Theatre. His TV credits include: Law & Order-SVU, Law & Order-Criminal Intent, Early Edition, Unsolved Mysteries, The Human Factor and The Untouchables TV series. Sean's film credits include The Untouchables and Rudy. As a playwright and lyricist, some of Sean's plays have made their World Premiere at AHT, including: Married Alive!, A Dog's Life, and Another Night Before Christmas.

Scott Cordes has been a professional actor and director in Kansas City for more than 20 years. His Kansas City acting credits include work with The Unicorn, The Kansas City Rep, The Shakespeare Festival, The Coterie, New Theatre, Actor's Theatre of KC and at AHT. His directing credits include work for AHT, The Unicorn, The Living Room. A member of all three acting unions, Scott also works in commercials and film.

Shanara Gabrielle is making her American Heartland Theatre debut. Highlights from Shanara's New York City career include: Queenie in The Wild Party (Columbia Stages), Eve in The Truth (Metropolitan Playhouse), Rose in Meet Me In St. Louis (Musicals Tonight), The American Girls Revue (Original NY Cast), Olivia in Twelfth Night (New Day Repertory), Emma in Lady was a Gentleman, Darla in War Bonds (Theatre for the New City), Helena in A Midsummer Night's Dream (Heights Players), Horatio in Hamlet (Piper Productions), and the first national tour of In The Mood. Her TV and Film Highlights include: Conviction, Guiding Light, and independent films: Books & Beans, The Look, and Lucina as well as a number of commercials.

Paul Hough (Direction) has directed more than 40 productions at American Heartland Theatre. Paul holds L.A. Drama Critic's Awards and Chicago Joseph Jefferson Citations for both Direction and Production and a Kansas City Best of Theatre Award for Production. Set design for The Love List is by Alex Perry, lighting design is by Shane Rowse, costume design is by Paul Hough, sound design is by Donna Miller-Brown and props design is by William J. Christie.

Tickets can be ordered online at www.ahtkc.com or through the AHT Box Office at 816-842-9999. Handicapped entry and seating, as well as assistive listening devices, are available at all performances. An ASL-interpreted performance is scheduled for Wednesday, October 20, 2010 at 7:30PM.

2010-2011 Season Promises to be an Exciting One!

American Heartland Theatre continues its tradition of providing variety in live theatre by showcasing 1 two-time Tony Award winning comedy, 4 Kansas City Premieres, 1 AHT favorite and 1 Richard Rodgers Award Winner in its upcoming season.

Productions include The Love List; Plaid Tidings; Maybe Baby, It's You; No Way to Treat a Lady; The 39 Steps; and The Honky Tonk Angels. This season's productions will feature local and out-of-state performers.

AMERICAN HEARTLAND THEATRE ANNOUNCES AUDITIONS FOR ITS 2010-2011 SEASON

Open auditions will be held for American Heartland Theatre’s 2010-2011 Season. All auditions will be held by appointment only at the theatre.

Dates are as follows:

Tuesday, April 6, 2010
2:30 - 4:30pm Acting
4:30 - 6:00pm Singing

Friday, April 9, 2010
2:30 – 4:30pm Acting
4:30 - 6:00pm Singing

Sunday, April 11, 2010
4:00 – 6:00pm Singing
6:00 – 7:30pm Acting

Acting auditions should consist of two contrasting monologues, not to exceed one minute each. Singing auditions should consist of two contrasting songs no longer than 32 bars. An accompanist will be provided.

To schedule acting and singing auditions, please call the theatre at 816-842-9999 Monday through Friday, between 10:00am and 5:00pm.

For more information on American Heartland Theatre, visit our website at www.ahtkc.com.

Season Surveys

Around the middle of January we sent out thousands of surveys via mail and email to subscribers, group leaders and single ticket purchasers. The responses have been amazing, and we're swimming in data... especially data that pertains to what shows we will stage in the 10/11 season. We're pretty jazzed around here, and the whole staff is abuzz with discussions of scripts, actors, shows, etc. It's always exciting to choose a new season! Stay tuned for our season announcement, which will probably come mid-March!