gmhTODAY 08 gmhToday May June 2016 | Page 35

Now Playing Lend Me A Tenor Summer Comedy & Fundraiser for Parkinson’s Research June 24 - July 16 “We can’t tell you how amazed we were by Broadway Bound! You orchestrated the most professional, dazzling, unique and age-appropriate performance we could have imagined. You wove kids of different ages and abilities into a fabulous tapestry of song, dance, and performance, gracefully and creatively staged, and respectfully show- casing diverse abilities and personalities. It was magnificent.” They say John and his team create a “positive, supportive, fun environment for them to learn, grow and develop self-confidence.” In the process of learning how to sing, dance and act, the kids learn how to become better communicators and gain a sense of poise — skills they can use all through their lives. Being part of a large cast, the kids have to learn focus and team- work in order to put on a quality show. Parents describe John as a director with “professionalism, patience and energy.” And they give kudos to him for the production quality of his musicals. One parent remarked that being in the production of “Gleeful Live” taught her girls how to listen, follow direction, and most important, how to be “all in” and dedicated to the show. It’s a taste of stardom. Some get hooked and theater becomes part of their lives. Bisceglie has also served as Artistic Director for San Jose Parks and Recreation’s Young People’s Theater, and in the same capacity for Gilroy’s Community Services Department for over twenty years. He has received numerous outstanding achievement awards from the Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle. Thousands of kids have partici- pated in the Gilroy Children’s Musical Theater (GCMT) over the past 25 years. Many have literally grown up in John’s productions. Some have pursued careers in theater while others say that having been involved in GCMT has had a positive influence in their lives. GCMT’s motto is that… “everyone has talent and can succeed” …regardless of age, experience and natural ability. GCMT is all about empowering our local youth and giving them a chance in the spotlight. Filming* August 4, 5, 6, 7 (San Jose & SF Cast) August 11, 12, 13, 14th (Morgan Hill & San Jose Cast) *Certain cast members may be required to attend additional filming sessions on August 20, 27, and September 3, 10, 17. Set in September 1934. Saunders, the general manager of the Cleveland Grand Opera Company, is primed to welcome world-famous, Tito Morelli, Il Stupendo, the greatest tenor of his gen- eration, to appear for one night only as Otello. The star arrives late and, through a hilarious series of mishaps, is given a double dose of tranquilizers and passes out. His pulse is so slow that Saunders and his assistant Max believe he’s dead. In a frantic attempt to salvage the eve- ning, Saunders persuades Max to get into Morelli’s Otello costume and fool the audience into thinking he’s Il Stupendo. Max succeeds admirably, but Morelli comes to and gets into his other costume ready to perform. Now two Otellos are running around in costume and two women are running around in lingerie, each thinking she is with Il Stupendo. A sensation on Broadway and in London’s West End, this madcap, screwball com- edy is guaranteed to leave audiences teary-eyed with laughter. Limelight Actors Theater limelightactorstheater.com Mary Poppins June 3 - June 25 Mary Poppins is the story of the Banks family who live in a big house in London on Cherry Lane. Things are not going well for the family; the children, Jane and Michael, are out of control and are in need of a new nanny. They have their own ideas about what sort of caretaker they should have, while their parents–and in particular Mr. Banks–are insistent on someone strict for the job. When a mysterious young woman named Mary Poppins appears at their doorstep, the family finds that she’s the answer to their prayers, but in the most peculiar way. Mary Poppins takes the children on many magical and memo- rable adventures, but the children aren’t the only ones she has a profound effect upon. Even grownups can learn a les- son or two from the nanny who advises that “anything can happen if you let it.” South Valley Civic Theater (SVCT) svct.org 35