The Little Theatre of Alexandria

 Two representatives from the National Executive Staff of the ALS Association met with the cast of 33 Variations on April 14 to discuss Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), current clinical maintenance of the disease and research for future treatment protocols, and resources for ALS patients and their families. Pictured with the cast, Joanna Henry (Director), and Margaret Evans-Joyce (President, LTA) are Michelle Powers Keegan, Chief Development Officer, and Lance Slaughter, Chief Chapter Relations Officer.    ALS was first described in 1869 by French neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot, but it wasn't until 1939 that Lou Gehrig brought national and international attention to the disease when he abruptly retired from baseball after being diagnosed with ALS. The mission of the ALS Association is to lead the fight to treat and cure ALS through global research and nationwide advocacy while also empowering people with Lou Gehrig’s Disease and their families to live ...

Thoughts on "Discovery" Hello, world!   My name is Ken Gaul, and I am currently playing Anton Schindler in LTA’s 33 Variations.   We are merely days away from opening this production, and the myriad moving pieces are all falling into place; exciting times!   I find myself particularly contemplative today, reflecting on how, just weeks ago, the cast and crew began this great voyage together.   We did not yet know where the journey would take us, but we embarked nevertheless with courage and determination.   Through LTA’s blog, I get to tell you a bit about it! The main action of 33 Variations , as summarized on the LTA page, concerns an eminent musicologist who is determined to discover the reason Beethoven spent so much time writing a series of variations on a second-rate waltz he once described as “a cobbler’s patch”.   The spark behind my post here is that word “discover.”   33 Variations is all about discovery – but I’m afraid I can’t ...

The first thing I noticed when I looked at a portrait of the character I am to play, Ludwig van Beethoven, was that he has much more hair than me. As I delved deeper, I discovered that his height was estimated to be 5 feet 4 inches, so I have a foot on the Master. Then I began to read the history of Beethoven and realized that our physical differences were nothing compared to the can of worms that represents what is allegedly known or thought about the composer. The fact is, that the facts about Beethoven pale in comparison to the myths, legends, speculations, and downright falsehoods of his contemporaries, biographers, worshippers, detractors, and story tellers. What we know about Beethoven is actually much less than what some people think they know. As an actor, this creates a bit of a dilemma. Who is this man I play? How did he feel? What did he think? How did he move? Unfortunately, as is often the case, there are only glimpses of his reality from letters and comments of h...

The Little Theatre of Alexandria mounts seven mainstage productions each season, which is an incredible number of plays and musicals for a community theater. All ticket sales for each of these theatrical creations go through our box office. LTA is very fortunate to have a full-time Box Office Manager, Tina Barry McCrea, to organize, arrange, and supervise a vast array of volunteers in order to ensure a smooth manage-ment of our ticket sales. To those contacting LTA for the first time, Tina is the pleasant, helpful voice they hear on the tele-phone. For those who already are members and subscribers, she’s the valuable old friend who is always willing to assist with any questions or difficulties and guide our patrons in their decisions. I guess one could say that Tina is the “Voice of LTA!” Tina McCrea and her husband, Mike McCrea. In addition to handling subscriptions and daily ticket sales, Tina manages LTA’s social media and public relations (in conjunction with our Governor for ...

When I began serving as Governor for Front of the House about two years ago, one of the things I wanted to do was add some kind of flowers to the lobby and in the Council Green Room at the theatre, just to soften up the appearance and make it look more friendly. Some attempts to keep fresh flowers in these areas were never really successful, so the only other option seemed to be to put artifi-cial arrangements in place. But last spring, a strange thing happened: All of a sudden someone was taking my artificial arrangements and hiding them away, and replacing them with fresh flowers. Once in a while, the fresh flowers would die and I’d find my arrangements and bring them back out. But within a day or two, they would disappear again and be replaced with fresh flowers. What a mystery! Who was doing this and where were these fresh flowers coming from? No one knew the answer, and it remained a mystery for several weeks until one afternoon when I was in the Council Green Room doing an in...

Baseball season is over, football season is on, and basketball season is on deck. Now, let me be very clear: I am NOT into sports! But, here at LTA, I am very interested in the same kind of winning teamwork sports teams require. LTA’s Artistic Support is all about teamwork, and I am extremely proud of the team I get to work with and for in all areas. Mike McCrea in the Props Closet. Bobbie Herbst and Nicole Zuchetto have been longtime keepers of our Props Closet and are currently working on a major clean-out of that space with the huge help of newcomer, Mike McCrea . They are re-organizing the space to include a redesign of the room with new, moveable shelving. So WONDERFUL! Kevin Lane , a master costumer, has worked on LTA productions for 20 years! He joins Annie Vroom , longtime Chairman of the Costume Closet! I got to wear his selections in Auntie Mame and Annie, and I enjoy not only his humor, but also his dedication to our Closet. Join him and Annie for their clean-out in...