Chandler Music Hall Prepares
Randolph’s Longest Show Ever

Where else could you go to a theatre and witness a marathon of performances and digitally projected images that range from the "Dance of the Seven Veils" to Harry Potter—and include "Danny Boy" sung by Erik Neilson, Robert Frost’s "Mending Wall" read by Jim Hutchinson, "Summertime" rendered by Marjorie Drysdale, and Dr. Spock’s "Baby and Child Care" read by Dr. Lou DiNicola? Nowhere but Chandler in Randolph, Saturday, Sept. 15 from 3 p.m. to midnight.

Toss in Picasso’s "Guernica," "Our Town," "Who’s On First?," the Marx Brother's "A Night At the Opera," "An American in Paris," and the Whale’s Tails; add Andy Warhol, the No Strings Marionettes, Elvis Presley and Robert Mapplethorpe, and you’ve got a hint of the dozens of short performances that will whiz by during the Chandler tribute to the work of the creative artists of the past century who are the reason cultural centers like Chandler exist.

The marathon, Randolph’s—and probably Vermont’s—longest live show ever, is the opening offering in Chandler's centennial season, a celebration of the generosity of Albert B. Chandler who financed the Music Hall, built in 1907.

All 10 decades that correspond to Chandler’s 100-year history are being organized by 10 central Vermont directors: John Jackson of Randolph, Bob Eddy of Braintree, Maria Lamson of South Royalton, Dorothy Robson of Hancock, Tony Keller of Braintree, Nina Gaby of Brookfield, Charlie McMeekin of Braintree, Kep Taylor of Bethel, Dawn Butterfield of Randolph and Shari Dutton of Chelsea. Over 150 central Vermont adults and youth will participate in the nine-hour show.

A complete program of events will be published in next week’s Herald. Tickets are available at 728-6464 or tickets@chandler-arts.org. Reserved premium seating tickets are available for the entire event, from 3-11 p.m. Tickets may also be purchased separately for Part 1 (1907-1956) and Part 2 (1957-2007). General admission seating will also be available for a suggested donation of 25 cents per year.

Open auditions

Most of the slots in the September 15 nine-hour marathon of performances in celebration of Chandler’s Centennial have been filled. However, some of the juiciest roles are still waiting for the right central Vermont actors.

Anyone who’s been hankering to play Blanche DuBois in "A Streetcar Named Desire," Willy Loman in "Death of a Salesman," Didi in "Waiting for Godot," Sakini in "Teahouse of the August Moon," Big Daddy in "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," or any of a number of great characters being presented in "101 Premieres" should stop in at Chandler on Monday afternoon or evening, August 27, and read for a part.

"I’m looking for between three and five actors who can present a few minutes of staged readings from theatre classics of the 1940s and 50s," Anthony Keller, director of "101 Premieres" told The Herald. "These will be focal moments from a few great plays, a part of our centennial tribute to the creative artists of the last century."

Anyone with theatre experience in the Randolph area or elsewhere is welcome to audition. No preparation is necessary. People who sign up for the try-out are encouraged to bring along a favorite passage from a play or novel to read aloud. 

To register for time in the schedule or to get further information, call Betsy Cantlin at Chandler at 728-9878 and leave a message in mailbox #2.