Summer 2021 Announcement

Summer 2021 Announcement

by | Mar 26, 2021 | Announcements, Shows, Youth Auditions

EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT!

Our main priority, as stated last year at the start of the COVID health crisis, continues to be the safety of our performers, production staff and patrons. As more and more people are vaccinated and the case numbers continue to decrease and stay low in our area, we are ready to get back on stage! With that in mind, after months of delay and hours of discussions and meetings the Hard Road Board of Directors has decided to attempt an abbreviated summer season with an in-person show!

OUR GOAL IS TO PRESENT A KID’S SHOW THIS SUMMER!

We’re not ready to release ALL the details (including what the show is!) yet as the board is still in the process of securing the performance space, sponsors, etc…but we can let you know the audition dates and performance dates so you can get those on your calendar!

AUDITIONS will be held on May 1st and 2nd.

PERFORMANCE Dates: July 22-25 & July 29 – Aug 1

We are hoping to solidify our plans with the performance space in the coming weeks at which point we will release more information on the show and audition materials and other exciting details!

We are currently working on the procedures to ensure the safety of our performers and crew in rehearsals as well as performances. In the coming weeks we’ll also be releasing the requirements that we’ll be asking our audiences to follow so we can safely and successfully present an in-person show this summer!

With only doing a kid’s show this summer, due to the limitations still in place and performance spaces being at a premium currently, there will be no adult musical. If COVID conditions continue to improve we are hoping to have more opportunities for in-person performances this fall.

In the meantime, if you haven’t already, check out our Hard Road Radio Serials – high quality, vintage entertainment every Friday at 5pm!

We can’t wait to be on stage in front of all of you again!

Hard Road Theatre Stage at Home Radio Serials

Hard Road Theatre Stage at Home Radio Serials

by | Nov 19, 2020 | Announcements, Radio Serials, Shows, Stage At Home

Did you know that there was a time before smartphones…before Youtube…and even before television…There was a time when families would stop what they were doing and gather around their radioa and listen to daring adventures, exciting westerns, flowery romances, hilarious comedies and tense thrillers. Through the power of spoken word (and sound effects!) listeners could travel deep into their imaginations to explore exotic locales and meet interesting, bizarre and maybe even dangerous people!!!
 
With the resounding success of the Stage at Home video series over the summer, we have decided to try to recreate that magic with a new project that we’ve titled:
 
Hard Road Theatre Stage at Home Radio Serials –– where we step back in time and bring you tales from the Golden Age of Radio!
 
Our plan is produce and release a high quality, expertly produced vintage radio show with period commercials on a weekly basis throughout these cold fall and winter months. We have assembled a talented production staff and have cast these shows with top notch talent! Our initial run will include familiar favorites like Father Knows Best, Burns & Allen and Suspense Theater. Episodes will be released every Friday evening around 5:00pm on Facebook, the Hard Road website and because this is audio –> for the first time ever, as a podcast through your favorite podcast provider!
 
*****But here’s the great news! Because of the Thanksgiving holiday next week, our premiere episode will drop a few days early!!!! So mark your calendars for Wednesday, November 25 at 5:00pm and prepare to be amazed!*****
 
Finally, we are still looking for a few sponsors for these shows, so if your business is interested let us know and we can send you some info!
Summer Season Cancelled

Summer Season Cancelled

by | Apr 29, 2020 | Announcements

Dear Hard Road Patrons and Friends,

I hope this letter find you all healthy and well. After much thought, consideration and deliberation over the last few weeks our board has decided to err on the side of caution and voted last night to cancel our 2020 Summer Season. Which means Hard Road will not be staging Moana, Jr. and Into the Woods this summer.

Like you, we are filled with disappointment at this news. Everyone serving on our board LOVES live theater and all that comes with it – paging through the scripts for the first time; the long nights of rehearsals; costume fittings and set building; tech week – all to feel the excitement of opening night – stepping out on stage and feeling the bright, hot lights on our faces – transporting our audiences to another time and place – to magical landscapes – sharing stories of heroism, love and wonder with you. The thought of a dark, silent stage and empty seats all summer long seems unreal and it breaks our hearts. The production teams for these two shows have been working diligently and so incredibly hard to have everything ready if/when we felt it safe to start the casting and rehearsal process. Ultimately, the health, safety and welfare of our production staff, cast and audiences have to be our top priority and we didn’t feel confident or comfortable that we’d be able to provide the quality productions you’ve come to expect from Hard Road Theatre in a manner that kept everyone safe in these trying times.

This is definitely not how we planned to kick off the celebrations for our 20th season! We are still eager to tell you stories and in that vein, we are working on some alternative ways to bring you HR entertainment this summer! We’re also exploring the feasibility of staging some additional productions later this season! Stay tuned to our Facebook page and website as we continue to build out those ideas and can share details with you! Currently, the next scheduled stage production on our calendar is “The Winter Wonderettes” later this fall. We are optimistic that this show will go on as scheduled and can’t wait tell you more about that in the near future! In the meantime, stay safe and dream big! We’ll see you soon!

With Hope,
Brian Knobloch
President, Hard Road Theatre Board of Directors

Moana, Jr. Auditions – POSTPONED

Moana, Jr. Auditions – POSTPONED

by | Apr 1, 2020 | Announcements, Auditions, Youth Auditions

Due to the continued “Shelter-In-Place” order from the State of Illinois and the Social Distancing guidelines from the White House being extended until April 30, 2020 the auditions for Disney’s Moana Jr. that were scheduled for the weekend of April 17 & 18 are being POSTPONED until a later date. We currently do not have a new date scheduled, but as soon as that decision has been made we will let you know on our Facebook page and our website.

Our top priority right now is making sure our performers, production staff and patrons stay safe and healthy. Check back often for future updates about auditions, show dates and other Hard Road information. Stay safe and healthy!

Chicken & Beer Dance – Postponed

Chicken & Beer Dance – Postponed

by | Mar 13, 2020 | Announcements

Chicken & Beer Dance POSTPONED

Due to the ongoing worldwide concern about the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) and the recommendations from the CDC limiting large gatherings of people we are postponing the Chicken & Beer Dance scheduled for March 21, 2020. We take the health and safety of our supporters seriously. The situation right now is very fluid, but we are currently working on securing a future date for this event and will let you know as soon as we have more information.  We hope that everyone stays healthy and well.

If you already purchased your tickets online. you can hold on to them for the rescheduled event or contact us for a full refund. Thank you all for your continued patronage and support for the arts here in Highland!

Disney’s Moana, Jr – Auditions & Show Dates

Disney’s Moana, Jr – Auditions & Show Dates

by | Mar 5, 2020 | Announcements, Shows, Youth Auditions

The first production of our 20th Anniversary Season is our kids show, Disney’s Moana, Jr! We are excited to be one of the first community theaters in the area to stage this show!

This thrilling and heartwarming coming-of-age story follows the strong-willed Moana as she sets sail across the Pacific to save her village and discover the truth about her heritage.

We are grateful to have our long-time kid’s show director, Gentry Fifer, at the helm again this year! Her dynamic vision and experience promise to make Disney’s Moana, Jr. one of our best and most memorable productions ever! She has put together a wonderfully talented production team who are already preparing for this summer’s show! 

Here are some important dates for the show:

Auditions @ Highland Elementary Auditorium :
Friday, April 17 @ 6pm
Saturday, April 18 @ Noon
Sunday, April 19 – Callbacks as needed

Show Dates @ Highland Elementary Auditorium:
Friday, June 19 @ 7pm
Saturday, June 20 @ 7pm
Thursday, June 25 @ 7pm
Friday, June 26 @ 7pm
Saturday, June 27 @ 7pm
Sunday, June 28 @ 2pm

Age Range for the show – 1st grade going into 2nd through Freshman going into Sophomore

More details about auditions and audition materials/forms will be released soon, so check back often!