Creative Cauldron Presents world premiere DIAGNOSED by Iyona Blake
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Falls Church, VA – The 2022-23 Season continues at Creative Cauldron with Diagnosed, a world premiere play written and directed by Helen Hayes Outstanding Performer Iyona Blake, this work is presented as part of Creative Cauldron’s “Bold New Voices” program which supports the development of theater works written by women, and women-identifying writers and composers. Through vivid personal stories and characters, Diagnosed deals deftly with the stigma and limited access to mental health care that black women experience in our community.  The “Bold New Voices” program Principal Sponsor is Jon Wiant. Diener and Associates is the production sponsor and Tori McKinney is the Community Engagement Sponsor. Diagnosed runs from February 9 – March 5, 2023. Press night is Saturday, February 11, 7:30 PM. Post-show discussions will be held on Friday and Saturday evenings and Sunday matinees.
Diagnosed is the story of Lydia is an African American woman who inherits a family-owned boutique. While searching for her own inner peace, she creates a safe space for women to share their stories of hurt, trauma and healing. Guided by the spirit of her ancestors, Lydia and the women are able to come face to face with their childhood and present-day demons. Will they heal?
Iyona Blake (Playwright/Director) is the 2017 Helen Hayes Award Winner for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical for her role as Caroline Thibodeaux in Creative Cauldron’s Caroline, or Change. Iyona has recently been seen in Beauty and the Beast (Mrs. Potts) Sound of Music (The Mother Abbess), Spunk (Blues Speak Woman), Ain't Misbehavin' (Armelia McQueen), Scottsboro Boys (The Lady, understudy/performed) and more. Iyona produces and hosts a weekly podcast called “Sister Conversations.” Her play Girls of Madison Street premiered at Creative Cauldron in 2022 to critical acclaim.
The cast includes Kandace Foreman as Lydia, Maria Ria Simpkins as Wanda Brown, Theresa Cunningham as Ida Miller & Nana, Sophia Early as Mia, Corisa Myers as Simone,

Pauline Lamb as Daisy, Andrea Gerald as Penny/Daisy's Aunt and Tracy Francis as Drummer.The creative team includes Laura Connors Hull, Founding Artistic Director and producer; Nicholas Goodman, Stage Manager; Margie Jervis, Set Designer; Cidney Forkpah, Costume Designer; Nina Stephens, Wig Designer; Tiffany Quinn Choreographer; Lynn Joslin, Lighting Designer.
Tickets for the 2022-2023 Season can be purchased online at creativecauldron.org or by calling 703-436-9948.
About Creative Cauldron
Creative Cauldron is an award-winning non-profit theater and educational arts organization whose innovative programs in the performing and visual arts embody collaboration, experimentation and community engagement. Creative Cauldron was founded by Artistic Director Laura Connors Hull in 2002. In June of 2009, Creative Cauldron acquired a permanent home in ArtSpace Falls Church, a 3,000 square foot flexible arts space that provides a venue for year-round classes, live performances of theater, music and dance and visual art exhibits. Programs are presented in part through grants from the Virginia Commission for the Arts, The National Endowment for the Arts, ArtsFairfax, the City of Falls Church, the Little City CATCH Foundation the Ross-Roberts Fund for the Arts, the Morgan Fund, and the Robert W and Gladys S Meserve Charitable Trust. Generous corporate and individual sponsors also support creative Cauldron’s programs.
FACT SHEET: Who/What: Diagnosed When: February 9 – March 5, 2023 Where: Creative Cauldron 410 South Maple Avenue Falls Church, VA 22042 Retail 116
Info: Tier One $45, Tier Two $35, Students $20, Groups Rate (10 or more) $5 discount

For more information/tickets:
www.creativecauldron.org
Phone: 703-436-9948

Free parking is available in Pearson Square Retail Parking Garage at 410 South Maple Avenue  and at the 400 South Maple Avenue Retail Parking Garage.

Falls Church, VA – Creative Cauldron’s twenty-year anniversary and 2022-23 Season, its first producing entirely original works continues with the Learning Theater original musical: The Princess and the Goblin, sponsored by The Bitici Group of Keller Williams. Created and directed by Laura Connors Hull, Lenny Mendez and Will Stevenson, with music by Matt Conner and lyrics by Stephen Gregory Smith, Creative Cauldron’s, The Princess and the Goblin is a humor-fueled musical adventure specifically for young audiences but a delight for any age. Told by the Learning Theater Ensemble, a troupe of student actors, and anchored by adult professional actors, this modern fairytale is sure to entertain. The Princess and the Goblin runs November 4-20 and is sponsored by. Press Night is Saturday, November 5, 7:30 pm.

About the Story
The Princess and the Goblin, adapted from the classic novel by George MacDonald, begins when the always curious Princess Irene discovers a secret stair to the top turret of the castle, it leads to a wonderful revelation that she has a fairy grandmother. At the same time, the miner’s son Curdie overhears a fiendish plot by the goblins who live below the mountain.  It will take all their strength and courage, and the help of Irene’s magic ring, to foil the goblin’s schemes.  George MacDonald was a 19th century Scottish author, poet, and pioneering figure in the field of modern fantasy literature and mentor to Lewis Carroll.

Music Supervisor Warren Freeman (Ichabod: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Bold New Works) returns to orchestrate and generate all the music tracks for the original compositions of Conner and Smith.  Margie Jervis, Creative Cauldron’s award-winning resident scenic and costume designer, brings her signature colorful masks and costumes, and James Morrison provides lighting and projection designs. Nicholas Goodman is the Stage Manager, and Lorien Jackson the Assistant Stage Manager.

Creative Cauldron’s Learning Theater Ensemble program is unique in all of the DMV because it gives budding young actors an opportunity to learn their craft over an extended show run of fifteen performances.  The original scripts are always crafted to support the unique talents of the participants, and the show includes professional actors who serve as mentors throughout the run.  Directors give notes after every performance and the talents of the cast continue to blossom.

Serving as the professional actor/mentors in this show are Gus Knapp as the King and Curdie’s Father. Gus is a veteran of Creative Cauldron Learning Theater Shows and was most recently scene as Old Toad in The Adventures of Mister Toad last season.  Lenny Mendez, Creative Cauldron’s Artistic Associate, and newest staff member, plays the role of Grandmother Irene. Lenny is a local actress who appeared most recently as Hendrika in Creative Cauldron’s Ichabod: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.

The Learning Theater Ensemble includes: Emma Howell, playing the role of Princess Irene; Henry Gill as Curdie, Sophie Silva as Irene’s Nurse Lootie; Zoe Folse-Sibert as Goblin Queen; Emerson Thiebert as Goblin King; Madeline Varho as Goblin Prince Harlip and Isabel Bishop and Nola Folse-Sibert as the Goblin Lord High Chancellor Other characters in the Castle and Goblin Courts are played by: Margaret Kruckeberg, Ava Bitici, Madeline Yu, Cora Brock,  Marie Solander, Miles Weiss, Isla Bitici, Isabella Silverman, Sarh O’Halloran, Emre Silva, Alec Goldenberg, Whit Jenkins, and Diana Alison,  

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FACT SHEET:

Who/What: The Princess and the Goblin
When: November 4 - 20, 2022
    Fridays at 7:30 on, Saturdays at 2:00 pm and 7:30 pm
    Sundays at 2:00 pm & 4:00 pm
Tickets:  Adults $20,  Students $18 Family 4 Packs $65
Where: Creative Cauldron 410 South Maple Avenue Retail 116,  Falls Church, VA 22042
Info: creativecauldron.org  703-436-9948

About Creative Cauldron
Creative Cauldron is an award-winning non-profit theater and educational arts organization whose innovative programs in the performing and visual arts embody collaboration, experimentation and community engagement. Creative Cauldron was founded by Founding Artistic Director Laura Connors Hull in 2002. In June of 2009, Creative Cauldron acquired a permanent home in ArtSpace Falls Church, a 3,000 square foot flexible arts space that provides a venue for year-round classes, live performances of theater, music and dance and visual art exhibits. Programs are presented in part through grants from the Virginia Commission for the Arts, The National Endowment for the Arts, ArtsFairfax, the City of Falls Church, the Little City CATCH Foundation the Ross-Roberts Fund for the Arts, the Morgan Fund, and the Robert W and Gladys S Meserve Charitable Trust. Generous corporate and individual sponsors also support creative Cauldron’s programs.

Falls Church, VA – Creative Cauldron’s twenty-year anniversary and 2022-23 Season, its first producing entirely original works, begins with a World Premiere musical:  Ichabod: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Created and directed by Matt Conner and Stephen Gregory Smith, of Creative Cauldron’s “Bold New Works for Intimate Stages” series, Ichabod blends humor, enchanting music, and fully realized characters with the classic suspense of Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, one of America’s first and most famous ghost stories. Told through the eyes of the school children in Ichabod’s classroom, this show has the fun and chill of a tale told round the campfire. Ichabod: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow runs October 6 -30 and is sponsored by Mark Werblood, Attorney at Law. Press Night is Saturday, October 8, 7:30 pm.

“We are thrilled to begin our 2022-23 season with this classic American tale, skillfully crafted as a musical by our critically acclaimed resident team, Matt Conner (Music) and Stephen Gregory Smith (Book and Lyrics). Audiences of all ages will enjoy this spooky homage to the classic ghost story,” stated Creative Cauldron Producing Artistic Director, Laura Connors Hull.

Conner and Smith are working with Music Director, Paige Rammelkamp (Music Director for Cinderella, at Silhouette Stages) and Music Supervisor Warren Friedman who served as the Music Supervisor for six of Creative Cauldron’s Bold New Works premieres, on The Turn of the Screw, Monsters of the Villa Diodati, Kaleidoscope, Witch, On Air and The Christmas Angel. Resident Scenic and Costume designer Margie Jervis is providing scenic and costume design, and Helen-Hayes nominated Lynn Joslin, is providing Lighting Design.

Ichabod Crane, the young school teacher and Sleepy Hollow’s newest resident, will be played by area newcomer, Colum Goebelbecker. Goebelbecker was recently seen as Trinculo in The Tempest, at Grassroots Shakespeare DC. Brooke Bloomquist who last appeared as Cinderella in Creative Cauldron’s Into the Woods, will play Katrina Van Tassel, the object of Ichabod’s affection, and Bobby Libby who played Rapunzel’s Prince, will play Brom Bones, Ichabod’s jealous rival. Also making her return after playing the Baker’s Wife in Into the Woods, will be Creative Cauldron veteran Erin Granfield, in the role of Mevrouw, Katrina’s mother. James Myers, an accomplished actor and singer who has performed with the Washington National Opera and Wolf Trap Opera Company joins in the role of Baltus Van Tassel, Katrina’s father and gentleman farmer. Hendrika, the oldest student and schoolroom leader is played by Lenny Mendez, Creative Cauldron’s new Artistic Associate.

This World Premiere also features Creative Cauldron’s Musical Theater Training Ensemble, who play the students in Ichabod’s classroom. MTE members receive master classes in movement, voice and acting and have a supporting role custom crafted for them by Conner and Smith. Musical Theater Training Ensemble members include Andrea Banuelos Valenzuela, Henry Gill, Allison Harman, Daniella Hirai, Emma Howell, Ella Johnston, Carmen Ortiz, Matilda Phillips, Elaina Rosenberger, Madeleine Ruffini, Sophie Silva, Nika Temkin.

MEDIA RELEASE
CONTACT:  Janis Johnson Tartt
General Manager
info@creativecauldron.org
703-436-9948

Falls Church, VA – The 2022-23 Season will mark Creative Cauldron’s twenty year-anniversary and its first season of producing entirely original works. Producing Artistic Director, Laura Connors Hull reflects on Creative Cauldron’s journey: ”Our 20th year marks the perfect opportunity to celebrate creativity by supporting the work of individual artists. Building upon our prior work through our “Bold New Works” initiative, this season promises to be one of our best.”

Creative Cauldron’s 2022-23 season includes a diverse range of programming. Professional productions include: a world premiere musical, Ichabod: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, by resident artists Matt Conner and Stephen Gregory Smith; Diagnosed, the follow up to 2022’s Girls of Madison Street, by Helen Hayes Award winning performer Iyona Blake; and the regional premiere of Audrey: The New Musical, celebrating the life of film and fashion icon Audrey Hepburn, with Book, Music and Lyrics written by Danielle Moore. Creative Cauldron will revive its original Christmas musical The Christmas Angel, written by Conner and Smith for the holiday season.

Creative Cauldron’s educational arm, the Learning Theater Ensemble, will produce a new adaptation of the classic story The Princess and the Goblin by George MacDonald, and a revival of Creative Cauldron’s original Learning Theater adaptation of The Snow Queen. The season’s theatrical offerings are complemented by live music throughout the year by three concert series: a Holiday Cabarets in December, the annual “Passport to the World of Music” Festival and the Summer Cabaret Series.


Creative Cauldron’s 2022-20223 Performance Season

Ichabod: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (October 6 – 30, 2022) Music by Matt Conner, Book and Lyrics by Stephen Gregory Smith Directed by Matt Conner & Stephen Gregory Smith
Musical Director Paige Rammelkamp
Featuring the Musical Theater Ensemble
Sponsored by Mark Werblood, Attorney at Law
Bold New Works Principal Sponsor Jon Wiant
Journey back in time to a quiet glen called Sleepy Hollow, where the denizens of the town are anxiously awaiting the arrival of their new school master, Ichabod Crane. An adaptation of Washington Irving’s Classic tale of lore, love and the legendary Headless Horseman, this World Premier Musical by the critically acclaimed creative team Conner and Smith arrives just in time for autumn leaves, pumpkins, and ghost tales around the campfire. Press night: Saturday, October 8, 7:30 pm.

The Princess and the Goblin (November 4 - 22, 2022)
A Learning Theater production
Adapted from the classic novel by George MacDonald by Laura Connors Hull and Lenny Mendez Directed by Laura Connors Hull, Lenny Mendez and Will Stevenson
Music and Lyrics by Matt Conner and Stephen Gregory Smith
Sponsored by Halms, Jenkins LLC
When the curious Princess Irene discovers a secret stair to the top turret of the castle, it leads to a wonderful revelation that she has a fairy grandmother. At the same time, the miner’s son Curdie overhears a fiendish plot by the goblins who live below the mountain. It will take all their skill and courage, and the help of Irene’s magic ring, to foil the goblin’s schemes. Adapted for the stage with music, humor and wit that has become the signature of Creative Cauldron’s Learning Theater productions, this show has appeal for every age! Press night: Saturday, November 5, 7:30 pm.



The Christmas Angel December 2 – 18, 2022
A Bold New Works Musical
Music by Matt Conner, Book and Lyrics by Stephen Gregory Smith Directed by Matt Conner and Stephen Gregory Smith
Sponsored by Quinn’s Auction Gallery
Based on a little-known 1910 novel by Abbie Farwell Brown, this tale about an elderly spinster and her heartwarming transformation into the Christmas spirit echoes Dickens and the journey of Ebeneezer Scrooge. Our award-winning creative team, Conner and Smith, put their signature stamp on this new classic Christmas musical that critics deemed “a charming, gentle parable about what really matters, not just at the holidays, but always.” Press night: Saturday, December 3, 7:30 pm.


Holiday Cabarets December 12 – 20, 2022
Creative Cauldron tops off our holiday celebration every year with this special Holiday Cabaret Series. Enjoy some of Creative Cauldron’s favorite performers, as well as some talented newcomers. They’ll perform in our intimate cabaret setting with special table seating options that include wine, beer or your favorite beverage. Don your holiday finery and be prepared to sing along to your favorite songs. Get in the festive spirit or shake off some holiday blues with these seasonal cabarets that blend creativity and classics!  Final line up TBA, curated by Matt Conner. Press tickets available upon request.


Passport to the World of Music Jan 7 – Feb 7, 2023
Sponsored by Ken Trotter, JD Realtor TTR Sotheby's International Realty
Featuring some of the most talented and diverse musicians in the metro area and beyond, this annual series, now in its 12th year, is one of the most popular events of the Creative Cauldron season. Curated by Ken Avis and Lynn Veronneau from the WAMMY award-winning jazz samba group Veronneau, the concert series offers musical styles for every taste: latin, jazz, blues, folk and world music. Presented in a cozy club format that has been described my musicians as “one of the best listening venues in the DMV.” Press tickets available upon request.



Diagnosed February 9 – March 5, 2023
A Bold New Works Premiere
Written and Directed by Iyona Blake
Bold New Works Principal Sponsor Jon Wiant Sponsored by Diener and Associates
Tori McKinney Community Engagement Sponsor
Lydia is an African American woman who inherits a family-owned boutique. While searching for her own inner peace, she creates a safe space for women to share their stories of hurt, trauma and healing. Guided by the spirit of her ancestors, Lydia and the women are able to come face to face with their childhood and present-day demons. They will soon see that a boutique filled with women’s fashion, standout accessories and envy-inducing handbags isn’t the only common ground the women share. Will they heal? Written by Helen Hayes Award winning actress and writer of last season’s critically acclaimed Girls of Madison Street. Press night: Saturday, February 11 at 7:30 pm.


The Snow Queen March 17 – April 2, 2023
A Learning Theater Production
Adapted from the Hans Christian Anderson Tale by Ellen Selby
Music by Matt Conner Lyrics by Stephen Gregory Smith
Directed by Laura Connors Hull, Lenny Mendez and Will Stevenson
Sponsored by Quinn’s Auction Gallery
Our Learning Theater Ensemble revives Creative Cauldron’s original adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s longest and most highly acclaimed tale that has inspired numerous films and adaptations from The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe to Disney’s Frozen! This classic tale of bravery and friendship follows the journey of young Gerda as she attempts to rescue her best friend Kai from the clutches of the Snow Queen.
Press night: Saturday, March 18 at 7:30 pm.


Audrey: The New Musical May 11 – June 4, 2023 A Regional Bold New Works Premiere
Book, Music and Lyrics by Danielle Moore
Directed by Laura Connors Hull
Bold New Works Principal Sponsor Jon Wiant
Winning both the Tony and the Oscar in her first year on the Hollywood scene, Audrey Hepburn went on to become oneof the most iconic stars in motion picture history. She commanded the screen opposite nearly every leading man of her day, from William Holden, Mel Ferrer, Gregory Peck, Cary Grant, Humphrey Bogart and even Fred Astaire. Her own life was far less charmed than the lucky-in-love heroines she portrayed. Audrey follows a reluctant icon from her days as a ballerina-turned-spy in Nazi-occupied Holland, to her heartbreaking attempts to create the family that the war robbedfrom her. Spotlighting her accidental revolution of style, sexuality, and singledom for a generation of women in a certain little black dress, Audrey re-examines the life of a legend through song, dance, and the technicolor lens of her most iconic screen performances. Press night: Saturday, May 13 at 7:30 pm.



Summer Concert & Cabaret Series (June 30 - August 19)
Sponsored by The Eden Center
Every summer weekend at Creative Cauldron features a cabaret or concert by some of the most spectacular talent the DC area has to offer! Grab a table for two or a table for four and enjoy your favorite musical standards from the Broadway, Tin Pan Alley, Folk, Jazz, pop and classical canon and be entertained in our up close and personal cabaret space. Press tickets available by request.
Tickets for the 2022-23 Season are on sale now, and can be purchased at creativecauldron.org or by calling 703-436- 9948. Prices vary, with options for students, discount days, season passes, and live streaming viewing for select performances. Currently masks are required for all patrons at all times, and proof of vaccination or a 24-hours negative COVID test is required for all patrons. These policies will be reviewed regularly and updated following CDC guidelines.

Falls Church, VA – Creative Cauldron announced the hiring of Lenny Mendez, in the position of Artistic Associate.  Lenny Mendez (she/her/ella) is a Latina actress from the Washington DC area. Lenny earned her BFA in Acting and Directing from George Mason University and trained at Circle in the Square Theatre School on Broadway in New York City. Some past performance credits include, Queen Titania in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Castaway Repertory) Angelina in Prom Night (GALA Hispanic Theatre) Natalie in The Proposal (Workhouse Arts Center).

Lenny will join Creative Cauldron’s artistic staff in the role of a bi-lingual teaching artist and director of Creative Cauldron’s educational outreach programs.  The position was funded through a Ross Roberts Arts grant from the Community Fund for Northern Virginia.  Creative Cauldron Producing Artistic Director, Laura Connors Hull, spoke about the importance of this new position: “We are thrilled to have this amazing new theater artist working on our team.  Lenny is a passionate and talented young teacher and performer.  Her bi-lingual skills will help Creative Cauldron forge new relationships, and partnerships in our community, particularly with Spanish-speaking families.”

Last year, Creative Cauldron developed a JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion) Artistic Committee to review its programs and policies, with the view of making the organization better serve its community.  Creating this new Artistic position was an outgrowth of this organizational work.  Lenny is currently serving as a co-producer for Creative Cauldron’s summer camps, and is providing outreach and support to Spanish-speaking families who are participating.

Lenny spoke about her new role at Creative Cauldron: I’m thrilled to have found a position where I can put my skills to great use and collaborate with some of the most down to earth artists I’ve met. When I came to this country at five years old, I would have never thought I would work at a beautiful black box theatre in the town where I was raised. The city is changing but the diversity has always been here, I am proud be at the fore front of new projects that will bring in the community to our theatre.”
In the fall, Lenny will continue to expand Creative Cauldron's community partnerships by teaching acting and improvisation at Second Story, a local non-profit organization committed to serving children in crisis and children needing a safe nurturing environment.

MEDIA RELEASE
               CONTACT:  Janis Johnson-Tartt
                    info@creativecauldron.org
                    703-436-9948
                    For Immediate Release

Creative Cauldron Presents Sondheim’s Iconic Into the Woods Directed by Matt Conner

Falls Church, VA – The 2021-22 Season “Reignite, Reimagine!” Continues at Creative Cauldron with Into the Woods, the beloved hit musical with book by James Lapine, music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. The show is directed by Matt Conner, who won a Helen Hayes Outstanding Director award for Beauty and the Beast, another gigantic show in terms production and legacy. Conner is adept at creating intricate worlds in Cauldron’s intimate space with out losing spectacle, and Into the Woods is no exception. This time, Conner says, “We will be visiting the ruins of an old castle wall where this timeless story unfolds in a plethora of periods that has touched generation after generation.” Into the Woods runs from May 5 – 29, 2022. The production is sponsored by Mark Werblood.LLC. Press night is Saturday, May 7 at 7:30 pm.

Into the Woods’ imaginative book by James Lapine skillfully intertwines the stories and characters from Grimm fairy tales. Paired with a luscious score by Stephen Sondheim, this Tony Award-winning musical has become a timeless masterpiece. A baker and his wife wish for a child, Cinderella wishes to go to the King’s Festival and Jack wishes to sell his cow, so into the woods they must go in search of their prize. Happily ever after eludes them, however, as they soon learn the thorny consequences of getting exactly what you wished for.
Conner has assembled a talented cast including Creative Cauldron veterans Susan Derry (The Witch), John Loughney (The Baker), Erin Granfield (the Baker’s Wife) and Amber Gibson (Jack’s Mother/Evil Stepmother). Making their Cauldron debuts are Chad Wheeler as The Narrator/Mysterious Man, Brett Klock as Jack/Steward, Brooke Bloomquist as Cinderella/Red Riding Hood's Granny, Holly Kelly as Rapunzel/Cinder’s Mother, Bobby Libby as Rapunzel’s Prince, Santiago Alfonzo Meza as Cinderella's Prince/Wolf, Ashley Nguyen as Little Red, and Rachel Lockett and Angelica Miguel as the Stepsisters.

The creative team includes Music Director Elisa Rossman, previously served as Musical Director for Creative Cauldron’s Helen Hayes nominated Disenchanted, and for numerous cabarets. Margie Jervis, Cauldron’s Award-winning resident Scenic and Costume designer, incorporates her sculpture and puppetry background in the elements of this piece. Helen Hayes nominated Lyn Joslin returns as Lighting Designer.


Tickets are on sale now, and can be purchased at www.creativecauldron.org or by calling 703-436-9948. Masks are required for all patrons at all times, and proof of vaccination OR a negative CDC approved COVID test is required for all patrons over 5 years of age.


About Creative Cauldron
Creative Cauldron is an award-winning non-profit theater and educational arts organization whose innovative programs in the performing and visual arts embody collaboration, experimentation and community engagement. Creative Cauldron was founded by Producing Artistic Director Laura Connors Hull in 2002. In June of 2009, Creative Cauldron acquired a permanent home in ArtSpace Falls Church, a 3,000 square foot flexible arts space that provides a venue for year-round classes, live performances of theater, music and dance and visual art exhibits. Programs are presented in part through grants from the Virginia Commission for the Arts, The National Endowment for the Arts, ArtsFairfax, the City of Falls Church, the Little City CATCH Foundation and the Robert W and Gladys S Meserve Charitable Trust. Generous corporate and individual sponsors also support creative Cauldron’s programs.









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FACT SHEET:

Who/What: Creative Cauldron’s Into the Woods

When: May 5 - 29, 2022, Thursday 7:30PM, Friday 7:30PM, Saturday 7:30PM,
Sunday 2:00PM & 7:00PM


Where: Creative Cauldron 410 South Maple Avenue Falls Church, VA 22042

Info and tickets: creativecauldron.org, 703-436-9948

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE—Creative Cauldron is pleased to announce that Will Stevenson has joined the staff as Casting Director, effective February 1, 2020. Stevenson brings a decade of DC theater know-how and twenty years of experience as a professional actor, beginning in the United Kingdom. Stevenson has been at the Cauldron since 2016; patrons will remember him as Wilbur in Charlotte’s Web (2018), and Maurice in Beauty and the Beast (2019), and at the helm of several Learning Theater productions.

When asked why, after a career spanning professional international tours and niche performances, is Stevenson stepping off the stage and in to the office, he said “because I believe in Laura’s vision for the future of Creative Cauldron, and for DC theater.” Stevenson also professed enthusiasm for expanding Creative Cauldron’s celebrated education programs, as his own career began when his father enrolled him in a local community musical.

Stevenson joins Nicholas Goodman (Productions and Operations Manager) and Ellen Selby (Interim Managing Director) as new hires this season at Creative Cauldron.

Contact Will Stevenson at casting@creativecauldron.org

MEDIA RELEASE
                                                                                                CONTACT: Elizabeth Meade
                                                                                                703-436-9948
                                                                                                emeade@creativecauldron.org
                                                                                                FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
 
Falls Church, VA – Thanks to a grant from the City of Falls Church, Creative Cauldron will continue its award winning, affordable, enriching, and diverse experiences in the performing and visual arts to Falls Church and the greater Washington, DC community.
 
Creative Cauldron Founder and Producing Director, Laura Connors Hull, remarked: “We are grateful for Falls Church Arts and Cultural Grant Awards which will help us continue to bring our professional theatrical and educational programs in the performing and visual arts to as wide a spectrum of our community as possible.” 
 
“These grants funded by the City of Falls Church support arts organizations and artists to provide a wide range of quality arts programming that transforms lives and builds community.”
 
Creative Cauldron received $5,000 for the Bold New Musical Voices project and $13,437.00 in general operations support. 
 
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FACT SHEET
About Creative Cauldron
Creative Cauldron is an award-winning non-profit theater and educational arts organization whose innovative programs in the performing and visual arts embody collaboration, experimentation and community engagement.  Creative Cauldron was founded by Producing Director Laura Connors Hull in 2002.  In June of 2009, Creative Cauldron acquired a permanent home in ArtSpace Falls Church, a 3,000 square foot flexible arts space that provides a venue for year-round classes, live performances of theater, music and dance and visual art exhibits. Programs are presented in part through grants from the Virginia Commission for the Arts, The National Endowment for the Arts, ArtsFairfax, the City of Falls Church and the Little City CATCH Foundation. Generous corporate and individual sponsors also support creative Cauldron’s programs. 
 
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​Falls Church, VA  Creative Cauldron’s 2019 Summer Cabaret Series will be held on Friday and Saturday evenings at 8:00 pm, beginning July 12th and running through September 14th at Creative Cauldron, 410 South Maple Avenue. The 2019 Summer Cabaret features cabarets and concerts by some of the most spectacular talent the DC area has to offer. Single tickets range from $18 to $22 and tables range from $60 to $120. Both may be purchased online at www.creativecauldron.org or by calling 703-436-9948. 
"Two for a Song Plus One” with Doug Bowles and Alex Hassan and guest Jennifer Timberlake
Friday, July 12 and Saturday, July 13 at 8pm: Doug Bowles and Alex Hassan are back at the Cauldron with more laughter, merriment, touching songs and stories from the Great American Songbook. Joined by actress and singer, Jennifer Timberlake, the warblers and pianoodler will introduce you to some amazing lost and forgotten songs of the 20s and 30s that may become your new favorites.
 
"New York, New Nora" with Nora Palka
Friday, July 19 at 8pm: Fresh off her critically-acclaimed performance as Flora Conrad in On Air, this talented singer-songwriter, piano/ukulele player comes back to the cauldron. After two and a half years of living in NYC and being inspired by everything around her, Nora will take you on a journey through song and comedic storytelling of all she has experienced so far as a New Yorker, featuring her original ukulele tunes, favorite jazz standards, and, of course, some musical theatre favorites.
 
Kathy Halenda “Somewhere Over the Rose”
Saturday, July 20 at 8pm: Welcome to “Somewhere Over the Rose,” a celebration of the songs, styles and stories of two incredible yet completely different American icons... Judy Garland and Bette Midler. One is long gone and one is definitely still kickin’. This show celebrates their songs, stories and similarities... as well as a few freaky coincidences. So join Kathy on a sophisticated and sassy adventure... Bon Voyage!
 
Chris Urquiaga “Piano Man”
Friday, July 26 at 8pm: Sing us a song, you're the piano man! Come ready to sing along to and enjoy songs by singer-songwriters who are also virtuosos at the keys. Chris Urquiaga, who has won acclaim in the DC area for his own virtuosity at the keyboard, will perform favorites by artists including Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder, Elton John, and John Legend, in addition to performing his own fun tunes.
 
“The First Lady of Country: Tribute to Patsy Cline” with Jess Eliot Myhre, Maureen Andary & Aimee Curl
Saturday, July 27 at 8pm: Winchester Virginia’s Patsy Cline was one of the most influential and acclaimed vocalists of the 21st century. A true pioneer for women in the country music industry, but also a wild character whose personal stories shine in their retelling, again and again. Come hear Patsy's lush songwriting unpacked to its essential elements, to uncover the caramel-core of the First Lady of Country's songs.
 
Katie McManus “My So-Called (Mid)Life”
Friday, August 2 at 8pm: Creative Cauldron veteran Katie McManus (Blues in the Night, Ruthless, and The World Goes Round) returns with a one-night-only-evening dedicated to that looming "middle" of your life. Filled with Broadway, pop, jazz and standards, perhaps it doesn't need to be a crisis after all. She is accompanied by the always-young, Elisa Rosman, who just recently music directed Thunder Knocking on the Door. 
 
Mark Meadows and Danielle Wertz sing Nat King Cole
Saturday, August 3 at 8pm: Join local award-winning jazz pianist and vocalist, Mark G. Meadows featuring San Francisco-based, Falls Church, VA native, Danielle Wertz, as they pay homage to the one and only, Nat King Cole, celebrating the songs and music that made Cole one of the most acclaimed artists of his time. Mark and Danielle will connect the old with the new as they sprinkle in some originals and arrangements alongside Nat King Cole's timeless hits.
 
Erin Granfield “If The Dress Fits”
Friday, August 9 at 8pm: An evening of song addressing sartorial & other quintessential questions. Erin is grateful to be back at Creative Cauldron after playing Agnes Davis in Conner & Smith’s final Bold New Works production of On Air and Elmira in the critically acclaimed production of Nevermore. 
 
Stephen Gregory Smith “Game On: A Game Night Cabaret”
Saturday, August 10 at 8pm: Join Helen Hayes Award-winning actor Stephen Gregory Smith and journey through musical theatre history in the form of an evening of games, special guests, and prizes! If you like musical theatre and game shows, come out and press your luck!
 
“You Are My Heroine” with Bridget Linsenmeyer and Inés Nassara from HEROINE
Friday, August 16 at 8pm: HEROINE, the Brooklyn based song writing duo of Bridget Linsenmeyer and Inés Nassarra, will be singing songs by their favorite heroines like Sara Bareilles, Lianne La Havas, Lucius, Joni Mitchell, as well as featuring their catchy originals in promotion for the release of their debut EP! Witness their original power anthems, emotional ballads and mesmerizing covers from the heroines who inspired them. HEROINE celebrates intersectional feminism and self-empowerment.
 
Katherine Riddle “Tell Me a Story”
Saturday, August 17 at 8pm: You know those songs that draw you in with just a few words: “When I was girl”…“I met a man”…“There was a time”...  And then take you on an emotional journey covering hours, weeks or years of a character’s life in a matter of minutes? Come join the talented Katherine Riddle for an evening of her favorite story songs…that will soon become yours.
 
Bossa Fever with VERONNEAU
Friday, August 23 and Saturday, August 24 at 8pm: Bossa Nova…it’s a chilled-out, slowed-down, grooved-up version of Brazilian samba and it’s totally irresistible!  Join Creative Cauldron Passport to the World favorites, and 6 times WAMMIE winning band VERONNEAU as they track the unstoppable rise of the Brazilian beat - the first globally successful world-music, which established itself firmly in our musical DNA.
 
Cecily sings Nancy Wilson
Friday, September 6 at 8pm: ​DC’s first lady of soul, Cecily, brings to life the story and music of Nancy Wilson. Vocalist, actress, activist and all-around performer; labeled a singer of blues, jazz, cabaret and pop, Wilson’s 70 year career included performances with such legends as Nat King Cole, Louis Jordan, Dinah Washington, Ella Fitzgerald, and Ruth Brown as she landed more than 30 albums on the Billboard charts.
 
Rochelle Rice “And We Shall March”
Saturday, September 7 at 8pm: ​ Vocalist and award-winning composer, Rochelle Rice, takes listeners on a journey through the social justice causes, key figures, and the empowering music of the Civil Rights Movement, one of the most transformative eras of American history.
 
Tom Sweitzer “Meatballs and Music”
Friday, September 13 and Saturday, September 14 at 8pm: ​ Meatballs and Music is a one man show starring Music Therapist, Tom Sweitzer. He will take us through his unique, colorful and unsettling childhood. This production is Tom's way to share the message of the power of music, the importance of connection and the importance of forgiveness.
 
Tickets for the 2019 Summer Cabarets can be purchased on www.creativecauldron.org or by calling 703-436-9948. 
 
Creative Cauldron is a non-profit arts organization whose innovative programs in the performing and visual arts embody collaboration, experimentation and community engagement.  Creative Cauldron was founded by Producing Director Laura Connors Hull in 2002.  In June of 2009, Creative Cauldron acquired a permanent home in ArtSpace Falls Church, a 3,000 square foot flexible arts space that provides a venue for year-round classes, live performances of theater, music and dance and visual art exhibits.   Programs are presented in part through grants from the Virginia Commission for the Arts, The National Endowment for the Arts, the Arts Council of Fairfax County, the City of Falls Church and the Little City CATCH Foundation.

​Who/What:    2019 Summer Cabaret Series
 
When:             July 12 – September 14, 2019
                        Fridays at 8:00 pm and Saturdays at 8:00 pm
 
Where:            Creative Cauldron at ArtSpace Falls Church
                        410 South Maple Avenue,  Falls Church, VA 22046
           
Info:                Tickets ​General Admission $22 - Seniors/Military $20 - Students $18
Tables for Two with wine $60 - Tables for Four with wine $120
Discounts for Groups of 10 or more
                        www.creativecauldron.org  or 703-436-9948
                        Free Parking is available in the 410 and 400 South Maple Building Garages

Falls Church, VA Celebrating its fifth and final installment of “Bold New Works for Intimate Stages,” Creative Cauldron presents the world premiere of On Air. Set in Pittsburgh, PA during the 1920s, On Air tells the story of Frank and Flora Conrad, who were on the edge of discovering mass broadcasting. These two unsung radio pioneers established the first radio station in America in their unassuming garage. On Air follows their untold love story, and how radio became a constant companion, messenger and soundtrack of our lives over the past century of American life. Matt Conner and Stephen Gregory Smith, the critically acclaimed creative team for Creative Cauldron’s past Bold New Work premieres (Turn of the Screw 2015, Monsters of the Villa Diodati 2016, Kaleidoscope 2017, Witch 2018,) are mining the nostalgia of a bygone era and shedding light on a relatively unknown piece of American history with this newest work. On Air runs May 2 – 26, 2019. Press Night is Saturday, May 11th at 8:00 pm.
 
Composer Matt Conner has been performing, composing, teaching and music directing in the DC area for fifteen years. He has created original music for Creative Cauldron’s Learning Theater shows.  With his artistic partner Stephen Gregory Smith, he composed original musicals: The Turn of the Screw (Helen Hayes Awards Nomination for Outstanding Direction), Monsters of the Villa Diodati, Kaleidoscope, and Witch.
 
Stephen Gregory Smith is a veteran DC Helen Hayes Award winning actor, writer, and director. He directed Creative Cauldron’s Witch, Kaleidoscope, Monsters of the Diodati, Turn of the Screw, Cole Porter; You’re the Top!, and Thunder Knocking on the Door. Stephen was nominated for the Helen Hayes Awards – Outstanding Supporting Actor, Resident Musical for 110 in the Shade.

Jimmy Mavrikes makes his Creative Cauldron debut as radio pioneer, Frank Conrad. Mavrikes has appeared at Signature Theatre, Girlfriend (Will) [Helen Hayes nom. For Best Actor], Cabaret, Signature Tenor’s Cabaret; Constellation Theatre Co, Wild Party (Burrs) [Helen Hayes nom. For Best Actor]; Arena Stage: Fiddler, Oliver; Olney Theatre: My Fair Lady; Adventure Theatre: Petite Rouge, James and the Giant Peach [Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Ensemble]; Imagination Stage: Looking for Roberto Clemente, Princess and the Pauper; 1st Stage: Bat Boy (Bat Boy) [Helen Hayes nom. for Best Actor]; and Toby’s Dinner Theatre, Into the Woods (Jack), Spamalot.
 
Returning to Creative Cauldron, Nora Palka appears as Flora Conrad, wife of Frank Conrad. She was last seen at the Cauldron doing her solo cabarets “Girls Like Us,” and “Live Your Truth.” Other DC area credits include: Girlstar, Gypsy and Best Little Whorehouse... (Signature Theatre), Shear Madness! (Kennedy Center); Orphie and the Book of Heroes, Elephant and Piggie: We are in a Play!, The Gift of Nothing (Kennedy Center TYA); Back to Methuselah, Pygmalion (Washington Stage Guild); Rocky Horror Show (Studio Theatre); Spring Awakening (Keegan Theatre); and Into the Woods (NextStop Theatre Company).
 
Garrett Matthews stars as founder of the first radio station in Pittsburgh, KDKA: Dr. Harry P. Davis/Ensemble. Matthews appeared last season at Creative Cauldron as Homer Zuckerman in Charlotte’s Web. Garrett has been performing regularly with the In Series, appearing in the American Songbook cabarets, featuring the music of Jerome Kern and Irving Berlin as well as a concert of operetta favorites. Other In Series credits include The Magic Flute, Don Pasquale, and Goyescas.
 
National Young Arts Foundation Award winner, Erin Granfield, returns to Creative Cauldron once again this season as the wife of Dr. Harry P. Davis, Agnes Davis/Ensemble. Granfield most recently appeared at Creative Cauldron in the Holiday Cabaret Series and as Elmira in Nevermore. She also played the role of Francesca Johnson to critical acclaim in the DC/Baltimore regional premiere of The Bridges of Madison County (Red Branch Theatre). Other credits include Pallas Theatre Collective: Crazy Mary Lincoln (Mary Harlan Lincoln), Lost in Wonderland (March Hare), and a national tour of The Music Man (Marian).
Sixth grader, Owen Thiebert appears as Francis Conrad/Young Frank. Thiebert made his stage debut as Pinocchio the “real boy” in the Creative Cauldron’s production of Pinocchio. He is a now a veteran of 11 Cauldron productions, including the role of “Oliver” in Oliver Twist and “Uncle” the pig in Charlotte’s Web, and was last seen playing the “Caterpillar” and the “Two of Hearts” in Alice in Wonderland on the heels of his portrayal of “Roo” in the Alden Theater production of Winnie the Pooh.
Television and radio personality, Robert Aubry Davis joins the cast of On Air as the Radio Voice. Davis is a native Washingtonian and an active member of the area’s cultural community. Davis is the creator and host of “Millennium of Music,” a program dedicated to music from the thousand years before Bach. The program now in its 40th season, is carried by more than 100 public radio stations nationwide, internationally, and on SiriusXM Satellite Radio. He has been host and moderator of WETA TV’s Emmy Award-winning weekly arts discussion program, “Around Town,” since its inception in 1986. Davis can also be heard on SiriusXM’s classical music channel.
Tickets for On Air may be purchased on-line at www.creativecauldron.org or by calling 703-436-9948.
About Creative Cauldron
Creative Cauldron is an award-winning non-profit theater and educational arts organization whose innovative programs in the performing and visual arts embody collaboration, experimentation and community engagement. Creative Cauldron was founded by Producing Director Laura Connors Hull in 2002. In June of 2009, Creative Cauldron acquired a permanent home in ArtSpace Falls Church, a 3,000 square foot flexible arts space that provides a venue for year-round classes, live performances of theater, music and dance and visual art exhibits. Programs are presented in part through grants from the Virginia Commission for the Arts, The National Endowment for the Arts, the Arts Council of Fairfax County, the City of Falls Church and the Little City CATCH Foundation. Generous corporate and individual sponsors also support creative Cauldron’s programs. 
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FACT SHEET:
Who/What:   On Air
Music and Lyrics by MATT CONNER
Book and Lyrics by STEPHEN GREGORY SMITH
Principle Sponsor: Jon Wiant
Additional Sponsors: Mike Blank, and John & Jackie Chewning & The Juan C. Febles Memorial Fund
 
When:            May 2 – 26, 2019
​Thursday 8:00 PM, Friday 8:00 PM, Saturday 8:00 PM, Sunday 2:00 PM & 7:00 PM
 
Where:           Creative Cauldron
                        410 South Maple Avenue
                        Falls Church, VA 22046
           
Info:               Tickets: Adults $32 | Seniors $28 | Military $28 | Students $20 | Groups $20
                        Free Parking in 410 and 400 South Maple Building Garages