The Facts features the return of Elizabethan Madrigal Feast this weekend

After a four-year hiatus due to COVID-19, The Center’s beloved Elizabethan Madrigal Feast is back in 2022 and will open on Friday, November 25! The Facts published a feature with interviews and photos in today’s (11/23) edition.

Read the story and see photos at The Facts online.

THEN, if you don’t yet have your EMF tickets, purchase them ASAP online or during regular business hours, call us at 979-265-7661 or come by the Box Office.

(Photo by Facts photographer Jesse Miller.)

Unexpected cultural experience awaits at Renaissance-themed Elizabethan Madrigal Feast

Unique, immersive Christmas celebration returns after four-year hiatus

 

From the small coastal community better known for its beaches, birding and annual Great Texas Mosquito Festival comes a fully immersive Renaissance celebration of Christmas. After a four-year COVID-related hiatus, the Elizabethan Madrigal Feast returns to The Center for the Arts & Sciences‘ Dow Arena Theater. Performances begin the day after Thanksgiving.

 

Celebrated biennially since 1988, the Elizabethan Madrigal Feast features singing, dancing, Shakespearean comedy and a three-course meal catered by Grazia Italian Kitchen. Local guests and visitors are invited to revel in the spectacle of hand-crafted period costumes and the pageantry of an 16th century Elizabethan celebration.

 

A Cultural Institution

A mainstay of The Center’s cultural programming, the event is a beloved holiday tradition for thousands of guests. The production runs for three weekends, totaling 10 performances, on November 25-27, December 2-4 and December 8-11.

 

The Center’s Dow Arena Theater is transformed into the Great Hall of Warwick Castle, where the Earl and Countess of Warwick welcome Queen Elizabeth I and her court to usher in the holidays.

 

Cast, Crew & Food

A troupe of more than one-hundred serve both onstage and backstage. Live musicians, dancers and actors perform roles ranging from the Archbishop of Canterbury and classic Shakespearean characters to singing servers, nobles and royals. Local parents with infants step in to serve as the Holy Family.

 

With a successful location in Pearland, Grazia Italian Kitchen will cater a three-course dinner for the 10-night production. Grazia will open a new Lake Jackson restaurant in the weeks to come. The Center’s scullery crew manages service for the guests’ dinner. The evening starts with freshly brewed wassail and ends with coffee and dessert.

 

Tickets can be purchased online, via phone at 979-265-7661 or in person at The Center’s Box Office. Learn more about the Elizabethan Madrigal Feast on our YouTube channel.

Elizabethan Madrigal Feast tickets available now for sponsors & BFAC members!

We are pleased to announce the return of our Elizabethan Madrigal Feast! Elizabethan Madrigal Feast performance dates are November 25-27, December 2-4 & 8-11.

 

By sponsoring this beloved holiday tradition, you will receive early ticket purchasing privileges before they go on sale to the general public. More importantly, you will create unforgettable memories for your friends and family.

 

Sponsors at all levels are invited to our exclusive Sponsor Reception. Beverages, light hors d’oeuvres, desserts and an audience with the Queen and her Court are part of the evening’s festivities. Mark your calendar for Saturday, November 19 for an exclusive opportunity to make merry and kick off the holiday season.

 

To secure your sponsorship, download and print the PDF form and return it to us. Or if you prefer to secure your sponsorship online, click here. Once we receive your sponsorship, we will send you an email with a promo code to reserve your seats. Please note that each sponsorship level allows a limited number of early reservations. Call us at (979) 265-7661 for assistance.

 

Brazosport Fine Arts Council members are also eligible to purchase tickets starting Thursday, September 29 through Sunday, October 2, before they go on sale to the general public on Monday, October 3. Get your BFAC membership online now! Then, purchase your EMF tickets by logging in with your BFAC member number.

 

Our Elizabethan Madrigal Feast is a special, time-honored tradition. Help us bring light, laughter and unforgettable memories to this holiday season. There is no better gift to give your loved ones and your community!

Cast announced for 2022 Elizabethan Madrigal Feast

(Photo from 2018 EMF.)

After a four-year hiatus due to COVID-19, we are so excited to be planning for our 2022 Elizabethan Madrigal Feast! Director Judi James has announced the cast list for this year’s EMF, scheduled for Nov. 25-27, Dec. 2-4 & 8-11.

Head Table/Nobility:

Rachael Welsh……….Queen Elizabeth I

Samantha Blackmar

Andrea Hutchison

Melodie Steinert

Kate Hadley

Terri Martin

Courtney Nagel

Elaina Perez

Barry Finley

Chris Hutchison

Trey Quinn

Fred Silva

Orren Gaspard

Ruben Perez

George Prince III

Tony Stewart

 

“As You Like It” Shakespeare Actors & Other Speaking Parts:

Matt Edquist……….Father Christmas

Wes Copeland……….Shire Reeve and Charles

Denis James……….Steward

Barrett Robison……….Orlando

Edward Waddell……….Oliver

John Dean……….Silvius

Harold Nicoll……….Adam

Keith Frank……….Touchstone

Marc Davis……….Duke Senior

Ed Steinert……….Duke Fredrick

Diane Hill……….Hesperia

George Adam……….Jacques

Clara Furriel……….Phebe

Hanna Poore……….Rosalind

Lisa Chapa……….Celia

Irenna Garapetian……….Cora

Margaret Bachman……….Audrey

 

Pages:

Hailey Wilkinson

Chase Wilkinson

 

Feature Dancers:

Madelyn Kelley

Madison Unger

Kennedy Unger

Madison Kucera

Jane Tidwell

 

Servers & Table Captains (if not in Shakespeare):

Connie Marshall……….Choreographer

Arianna Prince

Dora Mae Stevens

Chayton Herbst

Hayley Bone

Jesikah Cox

Donna Miner

Isabella McAdams

Janice McEwan

Dorothy Dean

Aiden Guillen

 

Music:

Darren Tidwell……….Violin, Men’s Chorus

(Additional musicians TBA)

 

The Facts features Elizabethan Madrigal Feast auditions

The Elizabethan Madrigal Feast is back after a four-year hiatus (courtesy of COVID-19) and auditions are being held August 28-30 at The Center. Director Judi James is looking for actors, singers, dancers and instrumentalists to fill roles in the Renaissance-style holiday production.

The Facts attended the Sunday afternoon audition to interview participants and shoot a few photos. A web-only feature was published on Monday, followed by a story on the front page of the paper on Tuesday.

Read the story and see photos online at The Facts!

Elizabethan Madrigal Feast auditions set for August 28-30

Be a part of our well-loved tradition, the Elizabethan Madrigal Feast! The Center’s Dow Arena Theater is transformed into the Great Hall of Warwick Castle. Queen Elizabeth I is the honored guest for an immersive experience featuring Renaissance music, dancing, feasting and a comedy by William Shakespeare.

 

Actors, singers, dancers and instrumentalists are needed to fill a wide range of roles. Auditions are open to ages 9 and up. Audition sides will be available in The Center Administrative Office on Monday, August 15.

 

All auditioners must be prepared to read from the script, sing and dance. Songs and dances will be taught during the audition process.

 

Instrumentalists, please come to an audition date to complete the required paperwork, but do not bring your instrument. You will be contacted at a later date by the music director or section leader.

 

OPEN AUDITIONS:

  • Sunday, August 28 at 2:00 PM
  • Monday and Tuesday, August 29 & 30 at 7:00 PM

 

Performance Dates:

  • November 25, 26 & 27
  • December 2, 3 & 4
  • December 8, 9, 10 & 11

 

All cast members must be present at all performances.

 

First time auditioning? To learn more about this beloved holiday tradition, check out this mini-documentary produced in 2020.

 

*Criminal background checks are required for all volunteers ages 18 and up.

Prepare for EMF auditions at upcoming Shakespeare workshop!

Shakespeare can seem intimidating! Professional actor John Feltch will teach you how to be confident and bring meaning and LIFE to Shakespeare’s words.

 

If you plan to audition for our 2022 Elizabethan Madrigal Feast, Brazosport College’s Shakespeare in the Glen or just want to learn from a world-renowned Shakespearean actor, join us next weekend on Saturday, May 28 from 10:00 AM – 2:30 PM in The Center’s Dow Arena Theater for Shakespeare and Voice with John Feltch!

 

BONUS: Lunch is included in the workshop fee!

 

The FUN workshop will involve equal parts of highly physical work to help participants discover the full possibilities of their unique voices AND the examination of a Shakespeare sonnet to make emotional connections to the text.

 

Participants will receive practical instruction from master actor and instructor John Feltch, whose extensive experience includes:

  • 12 years as a company member at the Alley Theatre of Houston
  • Acting on stage at the American Repertory Theater, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, La Jolla Playhouse and Pittsburg Public Theater, as well as on and off Broadway
  • Directing at the Alley Theatre, Playmakers Repertory Company and Triad Stage in North Carolina
  • Serving on the faculty of UNC Chapel Hill, University of Houston and Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music
  • Hosting numerous Voice and Text workshops around the U.S.

 

Mr. Feltch asks that each participant choose a sonnet in advance and learn it prior to the workshop. Check out a list of Shakespeare’s sonnets online.

 

Additionally, students should wear athletic or loose-fitting clothing and close-toed shoes. Participants will be very active for part of the session.

 

Registration is $20 for adults and $15 for students ages 16 through college, and includes lunch provided by The Center.

 

REGISTER NOW!