The Nance - meed the director Frank D. Shutts II!


Tell us a little about yourself:  I am Frank D. Shutts II, the director.  The Nance marks the twenty-third main-stage production I have directed for the Little Theater of Alexandria since 1989.  I have served as the theatre’s President and in several board positions.

How does this show differ from other shows you have worked on?  This show is a melting pot of theatrical genres.  Part musical and part comedy with a touch of drama.  It takes place in the late 30s, the twilight of vaudeville and burlesque.  While I am familiar with the concepts of those forgotten styles of entertainment, the table work for this show made me delve deep into their history and discover their charm.  I love directing shows that broaden my knowledge in preparation!  This one certainly did.

What made you get involved in theatre? How did you get involved with LTA?  Theater has always been a part of my life.  I thought I would be an actor until my high school theater teacher said to me, “You’re a director.  You see how it all comes together.”  That was followed by years of student directing and directing in the educational theater venue.  While directing at McLean High School, I applied to direct The Fantasticks here in 1989.  Alan Stuhl was serving on the selection committee and teaching history at our rival school.  He knew of my growing reputation as a director and suggested LTA hire me.  I’ve been here since.  I have directed at the educational, community, and professional levels and now serve as the stage director for The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington (make them hear you!)

What advice would you give others who are interested in working in theatre?  Two things:  Show up and get educated in the areas that interest you.  Everyone wants to direct, but it’s a skill that requires an in-depth knowledge of the acting process, dramatic literature, psychology, and the humanities…and a great imagination.

What do you want the audience to experience/take away from this show?  This show as something for everyone, and what the audience takes away from it will be as different and as individual as they are, and that’s a good thing.  I want people to have a good time, to enjoy the comedy sketches and burlesque numbers, and to see how politicians have pitted man against man for decades and have convinced him that he can vote against his own interest for economical or spiritual reasons…even if it will hurt him personally in the long run.  It’s a comedy with a message, take from it what you will.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

LTA kicks off 2023/2024 season with Freaky Friday

Image
(June 27, 2023) The Little Theatre of Alexandria jump-starts its 90th season with Freaky Friday, a musical based on the celebrated novel by Mary Rodgers and production by Walt Disney Motion Pictures.   In this hilarious American classic, a mom and her teenage daughter magically swap bodies and they have just one day to put things right again before a big wedding. “The journey of this mother and daughter in discovering who the other really is can be recognized by anyone who has ever been in a relationship, whether it’s with family, friends, or lovers,” says director Joanna Henry.  “In Freaky Friday , a mother and daughter really see what it is to be a family and experience each other’s lives first-hand, if only for a day.  How would we treat each other if we truly had the chance to walk in one another’s shoes for a day?” The cast members of this witty production include:      Sofia Cruz as Ellie Blake ·        Kristina Friedgen as Katherine Blake ·        James Campione as Flet
Read more

The Odd Couple (Female Version) - meet cast member Natalie Fox

Image
Meet Natalie Fox, playing Vera is LTA's upcoming The Odd Couple (Female Version). What did you find appealing about your character and this show? I love that Vera is funny without meaning to be because it really makes her an entertaining character to form and play.  This is a really witty and fast paced show with Vera sometimes used as a way to break tension or to change gears.  She's full of random, non sequitur remarks that jar the other characters away from their nostalgia discussion for a moment to marvel in her vapidity.  That being said, she is also well-meaning, helpful and kind person who genuinely adores her friends and loves being around them. How long have you been acting and what made you get involved with theatre? I have been acting for as long as I can remember.  Since the time I could walk and talk, I've been putting on skits and shows.  Later in elementary school through middle and high school, I was in several productions and on competitive improv tea
Read more

The Winners of LTA's 46th Annual One-Act Playwriting Competition

  Thanks to the LTA One-Acts Play Reading Committee! Thank you to the amazing LTA One-Acts play reading committee, who read nearly 90 scripts over the course of eight weeks, and completed a full weekend to select the three winning shows: 1 st Place : North  by Bruce Bonafede 2 nd Place: The Fengolonian Fiasco by Vicki Riba Koestler 3 rd Place: The Dollar General  by Keely Herrick   The LTA One-Acts Play Reading Committee  Vero Autphenne Lori Barringer Ann Breeden Abigail Casas Maureen Dawson Morgan DeHart Nick Friedlander Jesse Friedson Jasmine Jones Daniel Lakin Lauren Markovich Alden Michels Sam Nystrom Steve Rosenthal Lela Ross Richard Young An additional thank you to LTA Seasonal Planning Chair Eleanore Tapscott for supporting the One Acts Committee, and even participating in our reading committee! These shows will be produced by the Arlington Players in summer 2024 and we are excited to see them on their feet! Brittany Huffman & Josh Heit, One-Acts Committee Co-Cha
Read more