If you’d like to help with a production…
There are other ways to be involved with the Ardensingers if your talents or schedule preclude you from being a cast member, including:
- Join one of our show Production Committees
- Help with the various business aspects of our shows
- Help us out at the Arden Fair (Saturday before Labor Day), or join some of our other activities during the year.
Also, although all of our shows involving singing, there may occasionally be performing opportunities for non-singers (primarily during our Fall shows).
Scroll down to read more. Please contact John Trexler at (484) 319-2350 (or send an E-mail) with your questions, or to discuss how best you might become involved.
We have opportunities for trainees, experienced helpers, and those wishing to move into leadership roles. Some activities occur during show preparations, some during the run of the show, and some during the balance of the year. The type, intensity, and timing of your involvement can be adjusted based on your skills, interests, and availability.
Production Committee Opportunities
Our Production Committees are involved in the following activities:
- Costumes: Work with the director to develop a concept for costumes, identify costumes to be used (from stock, borrowed, rented, or made from scratch), get the cast fitted in costumes, making or modifying costumes, general “care and feeding” of costumes, including keeping the “Gold Room” organized.
- Make-up: Work with the director to develop a concept for stage make-up, take care of and organize the company’s make-up supplies and, during the run of the show, advise and assist cast members on application of stage make-up.
- Props: Work with the director to understand what props are required for the show, determine whether props are already in our stock or will have to be borrowed or made, keeping the Prop Room organized and, during the run of the show, organizing one or more prop tables and making sure the cast knows where to find the props they need.
- Set Design and Construction: Work with the director to understand set requirements, determine whether set pieces are already in our stock or will have to be borrowed or made, construction of set pieces, set painting (“coarse painting” and decorative painting), keeping the “Loft” organized and, during the run of the show, be stage manager or a stage hand.
- Lighting and Sound: Work with the director to understand lighting requirements and run the lights during shows, lighting design. Historically, our shows have not had sound systems, but we’re moving towards using stationary mikes for all our shows, and some future shows that are under consideration could involve lots of sound effects.
Business Committee Opportunities
Our Business Committees are involved in the following activities:
- Publicity: Determine strategies to publicize shows and auditions, develop press releases and ad copy for online use, ticket flyers, posters, post-cards, and print ads, manage mailings and E-mail contacts.
- Photography: Publicity photos, lobby display photos, design of the lobby display.
- Show programs: Design, edit, and develop content for show programs.
- Show program ads: Organize the show program ads effort, solicit ads, work with advertisers to format their ads.
- Membership: Membership out-reach, orientation of new Ardensingers members, newsletter, collecting Arden Club dues.
- Social Activities: Develop ideas for Ardensingers social activities, organize or help in setting up social activities, rehearsal refreshments. etc.
- Ticket sales: mail order and online
- Tee shirts: show tee-shirt design, tee-shirt orders, working with the supplier.
- Patrons: Mailings to our Ardensingers patrons, managing patron relations.
- Website, mailing list database, etc.: General “care and feeding”
- During the run of the show: Assistance is often needed with parking, Box Office, ushering, and refreshments.
Other Ardensingers Opportunities
The Ardensingers are active outside of the performing season, and we’re happy to have prospective members join us:
- The Ardensingers staff the Beer and Wine Booth at the Arden Fair, held every year on the Saturday before Labor Day. It’s a busy and fun time. 12 or more people are needed for the busy mid-afternoon shifts. The Fair is a big money-maker and helps keep the lights on in the Gild Hall.
- Cast and Orchestra members, business and production team members, and Ardensingers members past and present are welcome to join us for our show Kick-off and Closing Night parties. There may be other social activities during the year.
- One or two times per year the Ardensingers cook one of the community dinners at the Gild Hall (for ~100 people).
- The Ardensingers have sung the National Anthem at several Wilmington Blue Rocks games. We’ve also participated in some Arden Community Recreation Association activities.
- Ardensingers members who have been active in two or more recent shows are eligible for nomination to our Board, which meets monthly to plan our program.
We hope you’re able to join us!