List of Contributions

Kate Costello

Theater director,
Saint Viator High School

Contact Details

Theater director,
Saint Viator High School

My Content

1 to 20 of 25 total

RE: Distribution from Online Ticketing Companies

Posted By Kate Costello 08-14-2020 09:24
Found In Egroup: Open Forum \ view thread
An article in Business Ticketing News entitled "When the Unfathomable Becomes Your Reality" states that the company laid off more than half of their staff on March 31. Here is a link to the article. Not terribly encouraging. https://www.theticketingbusiness.com/2020/03/31/viewpoint-unfathomable-b ...

RE: Thoughts for next season

Posted By Kate Costello 07-20-2020 09:17
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I used Spoon River Anthology for my Theater 2 students' final project on zoom last semester.  They did very well. I had performed several selections from it as my dramatic interpretation of literature in the national finals of the Catholic Forensic League in 1970.  Here is the link to the Broadway ...

RE: What do you give your theatre colleagues?

Posted By Kate Costello 06-06-2020 09:27
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Our students pay a participation fee for the musical. Part of that fee is earmarked for gifts for the staff and volunteers. Everyone gets a nice bouquet of flowers closing night of the fall play and musical. I also purchase gift cards, and often personal gifts that have to do with the show. These range ...

RE: Are you retiring this year?

Posted By Kate Costello 03-11-2020 09:09
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I too am retiring this spring after 20 years at my present position. I also taught seven years before raising my four boys. I plan to spend more time with my five grandchildren, travel more, garden more, and work in community theater. I am already costume assistant for my church's musical this summer. ...

RE: Footloose

Posted By Kate Costello 01-12-2020 09:07
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I have directed Footloose twice and did not cut anything. The only complaint we got was from a conservative radio host who objected to the "beer and cigarette" lines from high school-aged characters. Actually the words to Meredith Willson's "The Sadder but Wiser Girl" from The Music Man are much more ...

RE: Your Favorite Shakespeare Comedy for H.S.

Posted By Kate Costello 01-02-2020 09:25
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A Midsummer Night's Dream is a great introduction to Shakespeare. The casting is so flexible with doubling some parts, or not. I did a 90 minute version with two casts of 26 each in 1960's costumes. The Fairies sang "Mr. Sandman" in harmony during the dream scene. It was a huge success. --------- ...

RE: Wizard of Oz

Posted By Kate Costello 08-31-2019 17:03
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I agree with Valerie. Tams RSC is closest to the movie. The kids and audiences loved the Jitterbug dance scene. We rented one of Kenmarks show package drops to help with the multiple scene changes. Do not bother purchasing Tams Rehearsal Aid. It is nothing like Rehearscore. ------------------------------ ...

RE: Trouble with Tams Witmark?

Posted By Kate Costello 08-31-2019 16:44
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I worked with Debra Medina from Tams last year when I did Wizard of Oz. She was very helpful on many issues including a cancelled show due to the polar vortex. I do agree that it is now almost impossible to contact RnH or Tams by phone. Try email. ------------------------------ Kate Costello Theater ...

RE: Mary Poppins ticket sales

Posted By Kate Costello 07-25-2019 08:03
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Absolutely do a matinee for Mary Poppins. Any family-appropriate musical I have done over the past 40 years has its biggest audience at matinees. Not only is the time better for children, but many senior guests find the earlier time fits their schedules better. ------------------------------ Kate ...

RE: spring play - non-musical

Posted By Kate Costello 11-11-2018 08:33
Found In Library: Open Forum

RE: spring play - non-musical

Posted By Kate Costello 11-11-2018 08:33
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I just completed The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) with two casts of 20 students each. It was originally done at a Renaissance fair. I have also directed an outdoor A Midsummer Night's Dream.  ------------------------------ Kate Costello Theater director Arlington Heights IL ...

RE: How to find part time tech directorthe

Posted By Kate Costello 08-02-2018 08:11
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Hi Crit, I agree that parental involvement in a show is amazing, and in our case, critical. All parents of cast members are supposed to help with various tasks from chaperoning to selling concessions. We have had a great bunch of dads AND moms helping on set construction. I need someone who will ...

How to find part time tech directorthe

Posted By Kate Costello 08-01-2018 10:52
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Well, I had high hopes that the Job Listings under the Resources tab on this site would help me find a Technical Director for Saint Viator High School. I thought this would be a great position for a retired TD who did not want full time work or a newbie looking for experience.  I was ready to hire a ...

RE: Hoarders

Posted By Kate Costello 07-14-2018 07:53
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We started our first major "clean-and-reorganize" project last week. Parent volunteers were contacted through Sign-Up Genius. I also recruited my assistant directors and costumer. Some students have shown up too. When we removed everything from our first storage area, we realized a pipe had leaked and ...

RE: Ph.D. Theatre Education

Posted By Kate Costello 04-14-2018 08:50
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There are a number of programs with varied requirements. The American Society for Theatre Research has a Doctoral Program Directory with links to universities around the world. Their site is astr.org. ------------------------------ Kate Costello Theater director Arlington Heights IL --------- ...

RE: Comedy of Manners scenes for women

Posted By Kate Costello 04-08-2018 12:06
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There is a good scene in the first act of She Stoops to Conquer between Kate Hardcastle and Constance Neville.  I have done it in class. ------------------------------ Kate Costello Theater director Arlington Heights IL ------------------------------

RE: Romeo and Juliet

Posted By Kate Costello 04-03-2018 21:04
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I developed my own version The Ninety Nine Minute Romeo and Juliet a few years back for our fall play. The text was Shakespeare with very few changes but liberal editing. It took much of the summer to complete. The action was set in the 1920's with two feuding mob families in Chicago: the Italian Capulets ...

RE: Sound solution? Floor pics?

Posted By Kate Costello 03-28-2018 15:44
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I bought three of the very mics you posted (for the same price.) They worked well for my purpose - picking up improvised games and skits on our 48' wide apron during choir & band changes for arts festivals. We spiked the floor so actors knew the best areas to stand. They also helped  pick up the choirs.  ...

RE: Musicals

Posted By Kate Costello 03-20-2018 08:28
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Our high school (900 enrollment) has produced a winter musical every year since 1967. It is the largest activity we have. We double cast every single role and end up with 160-180 actors in two casts of 80-90.  There would be a revolt if we skipped a year. Almost every student is involved in other activities, ...

RE: Mic tape on faces?

Posted By Kate Costello 03-04-2018 10:57
Found In Egroup: Open Forum \ view thread
I too have been using the Nexcare flexible clear tape. We have up to 24 actors wearing microphones, so I save money by ordering the six packs from Amazon. ------------------------------ Kate Costello Theater director Arlington Heights IL ------------------------------