What's Happening

As I write this, I’m between seminars at the American Association of Community Theatre’s Community Theatre Managers Conference. There have been lively discussions on a variety of topics, including Working with the Board of Directors, Legal Issues, Insurance, Season Selection, Burnout and Mental/Emotional Health for Staff and Volunteers, Financing and Marketing. Many more subjects will be discussed in the next few days.

The Beaver Dam Area Community Theatre is pleased to announce it has awarded the Jerome H. Kamps Memorial Scholarship to 2025 Waupun Area High School graduate Elise Clarenbach and 2025 Beaver Dam High School graduate Noah Kikkert.

Why a mood board is essential: Take a peek at my visual guide for the Guys and Dolls promotional photoshoot. It allowed me to weave together the elegance of the 1940s with the vibrant spirit of the show, ultimately helping our cast bring the characters to life beautifully.

That flurry of activity has been one show after another, back to back, with little to no downtime between productions and concerts. The BDACT Fine Arts Center has been constantly filled with music and set construction noise and rehearsal conversations. Costumes, lights, props, sets, microphones and make-up have been liberally used. The amount of popcorn that we’ve made so far this year has to be some sort of record. The casts, crews, and volunteers have been hard-working. The performances have been wonderful. The audiences have been enthusiastic and supportive. The pace has been hectic!

The Beaver Dam Area Community Theatre is accepting applications for the Jerome H. Kamps Memorial Award. The $500 award, which was established by the Kamps family in 2016, will be granted to a 2025 high school graduate who has been actively engaged in BDACT and other theater activities and is pursuing a post-high school education.

Wow, it’s only May and we already have five stage productions and four concerts behind us in the 2025 season. Now it’s auditioning season at the Beaver Dam Area Community Theatre. Well, to be more accurate, with over a dozen stage productions this season alone, it’s ALWAYS auditioning season. But late spring is when we gear up for four large summer productions, followed this year by three fall shows. That’s a lot of shows, and a great deal of cast members needed.