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Entries tagged with “theater”

June 24, 2014

Pioneer Theatre Guild: Rent

First, forgive me for the delay in launching this blog entry about Rent! There has been so much going on at once (most of it just good ol’ life). I appreciate your patience. When I first heard that Pioneer Theatre Guild was doing Rent, I was filled with dread. I knew...

January 30, 2014

FutureStars 2014

Main text and captions by Ciara Stella Linden Pioneer Theatre Guild has done it again: FutureStars 2014 was a roaring success! The Ann Arbor talent pool seems to be bottomless. This year some brilliant students returned even more polished, and new students with incredible musical and dance gifts emerged. The evening...

November 17, 2013

Pioneer Theatre Guild: Pippin

Putting words to paper (or in this case “blog-post”) is a gut-wrenching experience for me. I try because, well, images don’t always express all I want to say. However, the amount of time it takes me to find the words to express all I want to say is … umm,...

May 20, 2013

Shrek The Musical

Pioneer Theatre Guild didn’t just “do” Shrek The Musical. Rather, they were entrusted to test and design Shrek The Musical for other amateur theatre groups — in a process known as “workshopping” a show. Shrek marks the third time PTG has been chosen by Music Theater International for this opportunity...

January 22, 2013

FutureStars 2013

While at the fourth preliminary competition (Saturday, Jan. 12), I kept thinking that I was actually at the finals — I mean, the show was that polished! Unsurprisingly, the finals completely sold out well ahead of the event (get your sleeping bag ready for next year). What makes the FutureStars production...

January 06, 2013

Pioneer Theatre Guild: Ragtime

Pioneer’s production of Ragtime closed several weeks ago — nearly eight weeks ago, to be precise. But to me it feels like it closed yesterday (and I’m not just saying that because I wished I’d posted these photos on November 12). Truly, my holiday rush period renders most of November...

October 12, 2012

Pioneer Theatre Guild: Ragtime (Publicity Shoot)

I’m often apprehensive when taking large group portraits — positioning each person so the group has visual coherence, working quickly so no one loses patience, and getting everyone to face the camera at the same time (preferably with their eyes open). But no matter what I do, there always seem...

May 04, 2012

Pioneer Theatre Guild: West Side Story

Pioneer Theatre Guild: you did it again. You took an insanely ambitious musical — West Side Story — and surpassed everyone’s already high expectations. I photographed the last dress rehearsal, and I am in awe of the range of powerful emotions that explodes from every scene. Congratulations to the cast,...

January 24, 2012

FutureStars 2012

FutureStars 2012 celebrated its Tenth Anniversary in a big way. There was just an incredible level of energy — the kids performed their hearts out! I mean, it was a take-no-prisoners kinda deal. You dig? And on top of all the enormous talent (which inexplicably seems to multiply exponentially from one...

November 10, 2011

Pioneer Theatre Guild: Phantom of the Opera

There’s no nice way to say it, but the last dress rehearsal for Phantom of the Opera was, from a technical perspective, a total train wreck. The second chandelier (the first one broke) was misbehaving, and the lighting board (the computer that’s programmed to switch on and off the correct...

June 03, 2011

Pioneer Theatre Guild: Seussical

Forgive the non-timeliness of this blog entry. Hopefully, if you were chomping at the bit to see my Seussical photos, you found them on my facebook page (tip: I post more frequent updates there — please consider adding your “like”). Let's just say that this post isn't meant for reporting...

April 28, 2011

Pioneer Theatre Guild: Seussical (Publicity Shoot)

Pioneer Theatre Guild’s Seussical had a wildly successful opening last Saturday night. And after an ambitious run of four more fantastical performances this weekend, it will be over. Just like that. No more cat. No more hat. Do not blink, nor even wink. And don’t even think of going “kerplink”...

February 10, 2011

Burns Park Players: How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying

Every year I rack my brains trying to come up with fresh ways of extolling the virtues of the latest Burns Park Players Production. So forgive me for reposting here my comment on Roger LeLievre’s glowing review in AnnArbor.com: “Congrats to the cast and crew for such a gorgeous show...

February 01, 2011

Burns Park Players: Getting Ready to Succeed!

Based on my extensive reconnoitering activities over the past several weeks, I can confidently declare that the Burns Park Players are gonna hit yet another home run with their production of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying! It’s an amazing show — great musical numbers, dead-on period costumes...

January 17, 2011

FutureStars 2011

Once again, color me blown away. Not just by the performances and the production values (lots of great effects!), but also by how much the community supports this event. Tickets, which were available online, sold out quickly. The house crew worked feverishly to locate seats to accommodate everyone. FutureStars 2011 was...

November 15, 2010

Pioneer Theatre Guild: Hairspray

Please tell me you went to this show. Wasn’t it amazing?! I wanted everyone to see it — in person. If you missed it, I’m sorry to say that these photographs, taken at the final dress rehearsal the night before opening, cannot begin to replicate the experience of actually being...

October 29, 2010

Pioneer Theatre Guild: Hairspray (Publicity Shoot)

Earlier in the month, a handful of Hairspray characters from the Pioneer Theatre Guild’s upcoming musical came to my studio to collaborate on some tasty, leaving-me-wanting-more publicity photos. As usual, I was blown away by the talent and energy of the kids, and how perfectly each was suited to his...

September 07, 2010

Zack Pearlman: Ann Arbor native breaks into Hollywood

Ann Arbor’s own Zack Pearlman is appearing in his first ever movie. The term “movie” doesn’t quite do it justice, as it’s actually a major Hollywood motion picture produced by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay. And Zack doesn’t merely make an “appearance” in this film either — he damn well...

June 12, 2010

Shakespeare in the Arb: A Midsummer Night’s Dream

There was no way I was gonna miss watching my first Shakespeare in the Arb production last week. It’s not that I’m a huge lover of Shakespeare or anything. Quite the opposite: I often shy away from his works. But I really wanted to see some of my favorite performers...

February 11, 2010

Burns Park Players: Guys and Dolls

This is Max’s first year as an official Burns Park Players cast-member. I tell you, the show takes on a whole other significance for me now that Max gets the magical experience of being one of the kids on stage. This is something he’s been chomping at the bit to...

January 18, 2010

FutureStars 2010

FutureStars 2010 was an extraordinary event that so totally exceeded my already high expectations, especially in terms of showmanship. And I’m sorry, but you had to be there — if you were lucky enough to get tickets, that is. Long gone are the days when the Pioneer Theatre Guild had...

November 11, 2009

Pioneer Theatre Guild: Oklahoma!

Dream sequence: Curley (Tim Van Riper) is dead after a fight with Jud (John Spalding).

Will (Schuyler Robinson) and Ado Annie (Maia Gleason) argue over the ground rules for their relationship.

While I was shooting the final dress rehearsal for the Pioneer Theatre Guild’s production of Oklahoma!, I was continuously amazed by the quality of the lighting design. The light defined and highlighted each cast member on stage. But more than being merely technically superb, the lighting established its own thematic...

October 12, 2009

Pioneer Theatre Guild: Oklahoma! (Publicity Shoot)

While we were briskly walking to the publicity shoot location at beautiful Greenview Park, I actually broke into song: “The hills are alive with the sound of music…” However, since the clouds were dark and menacing, perhaps I should have been singing “Here comes the rain again…” Indeed, nearly 15...

April 27, 2009

Pioneer Theatre Guild: Urinetown

Updated May 6, 2009: I’ve added five NEW PHOTOS to this entry — several of which were intentionally held back until the end of the show’s run. This Brooklyn-born peon was — yet again! — bowled over by the great talent on display at Schreiber Auditorium this afternoon. The members of...

March 09, 2009

Pioneer Theatre Guild: Urinetown (Publicity Shoot)

Today’s publicity shoot for the Pioneer Theatre Guild’s spring musical Urinetown took me deep into the dank, fetid underbelly of our public school system. The dueling stenches (of human waste and industrial cleaning products) forced me to hold my nose more than a few times. (In truth, there weren’t really...

February 13, 2009

Burns Park Players: Annie Get Your Gun

The Burns Park Players have just finished their penultimate performance of this year’s show, Annie Get Your Gun. Last Friday, I caught opening night with Rico and my in-laws. Roger LeLievre wasn’t exactly tightfisted with the praise in his glowing review for the Ann Arbor News. Tomorrow, we’re taking Max...

January 19, 2009

FutureStars 2009

This year, FutureStars was — even more — energizing, oozing with talent, spectacular. It astounds me how this annual production keeps getting better. This year’s competition was “district wide,” meaning that talent from Huron, Community, and Skyline added their magic to the mix. FutureStars 2009 was masterfully directed by U-M School...

January 08, 2009

Stars, Pancakes + Irving Berlin?

Get out your calendars! Here are some arts events I plan to photograph over the coming months. If you haven’t yet experienced any of these, I highly recommend checking them out. I’m not hired to shoot these events (nor to promote them). I do it ’cause they’re just so cool...

November 08, 2008

Pioneer Theatre Guild: Miss Saigon

Last night I shot the final dress rehearsal for the Pioneer Theatre Guild’s production of Miss Saigon, which premiered tonight. You still have 4 more chances to see this ambitious and stunning production that left me breathless. My whole-hearted congratulations to the cast, crew, orchestra, and production team! Mary Morgan, co-editor...

October 01, 2008

Pioneer Theatre Guild: Miss Saigon (Publicity Shoot)

Pioneer Theatre Guild, Miss Saigon, © 2008 Myra Klarman, Gigi (Sonya Major), The Engineer (Daniel Mozurkewich), Kim (Ashley Park), Chris (Tim Van-Riper), Ellen (Clare Eisentrout).

Pioneer Theatre Guild, Miss Saigon, © 2008 Myra Klarman

Pioneer Theatre Guild, Miss Saigon, © 2008 Myra Klarman

Pioneer Theatre Guild, Miss Saigon, © 2008 Myra Klarman

Since I’m neck-deep in senior pictures and family portraits, I’m very grateful and happy to let producer Susan Hurwitz do most of the talking on this entry. But let me just say that the kids made this publicity shoot a cinch. At one point I was so amazed with how...

April 29, 2008

Pioneer Theatre Guild: Willy Wonka

Just as the golden ticket winners couldn’t wait to get inside Wonka’s factory, I couldn’t wait to see the opening night of the Pioneer Theatre Guild’s production of “Roald Dalh’s Willy Wonka.” Pioneer was selected to prototype and fine-tune (a process known as “workshopping”) a new stage adaptation of Charlie and...

April 02, 2008

Pioneer Theatre Guild: Willy Wonka (Publicity Shoot)

An all new stage version of Willy Wonka is coming out. And Pioneer Theatre Guild (PTG) will be among the first theater companies in the world to perform it! Ennui in Paradise? Last week I shot press-release photographs for the show. Even before I got to the shoot, I knew the kids...

February 26, 2008

Burns Park Players: Beauty and the Beast

The show has been closed for over a week, and my family is still trying to figure out how the songs go. Max still sings his cover versions of Consider Yourself (from Oliver!) and To Life! (from Fiddler on the Roof) — nearly on a daily basis. Color v. Black+White When...

January 25, 2008

Auspicious Beginnings

I love telling people about how my photographic career got started. It’s a “follow your bliss” kinda story, and it all started with the Burns Park Players’ production of Brigadoon in 2005. I had been a graphic designer for 18 years, and had spent the latter half of those years in...

January 21, 2008

FutureStars 2008

The Pioneer Theatre Guild once again surpassed my already high expectations. I don’t know how they do it, but we’re all fortunate that they do. FutureStars 2008 took place on Saturday, January 19th, and was an event not to be missed. Bonus! I got to hear and meet guest band...

November 04, 2007

Pioneer Theatre Guild: Thoroughly Modern Millie

Such a stunning, masterful, and sassy production. These kids display enormous talent, and don’t hold anything back! Performances run for only one more weekend. Don’t miss it. Rarely do I get so caught up in the show that I nearly forget to take pictures — but that’s exactly what happened...

October 09, 2007

Pioneer Theatre Guild: Thoroughly Modern Millie (Publicity Shoot)

Last Thursday I took a “break” from my regularly scheduled programming (shooting high school senior and family portraits) to shoot press photos for the Pioneer Theatre Guild’s upcoming production of Thoroughly Modern Millie. Working with the Guild’s multi-talented cast and crew on publicity shots is always a thrill. And for this...

May 17, 2007

Pioneer Theatre Guild: A Streetcar Named Desire

Perhaps the most stunning production I’ve ever photographed. Streetcar was performed in the school’s aptly named Little Theater, which has a very compact stage. And because there was no orchestra pit, I had no barriers between me and the action. The explosive scene in which Stanley throws furniture across the stage took...

April 19, 2007

Pioneer Theatre Guild: Wizard of Oz

The dress rehearsal for the spring musical was held during a very busy time in my schedule, and I thank Brad Orr for coming out to shoot it with me. We worked very well as a team — he shot from stage right with a lens that could fit most...

February 22, 2007

Burns Park Players: Oliver!

Ever since learning about the Burns Park Players in 2003 (when I was blown away by their production of The Music Man), I’ve harbored wishes to design one of their posters. So I was delighted to learn that UM student Liam White’s design for the Oliver! poster featured a portrait...

Photo of Myra Klarman

About Myra Klarman: I’m a professional photographer specializing in studio and lifestyle portraits of children, families, high school seniors, and performing artists. I live in Ann Arbor with my husband, Rich, and our 23-year-old son, Max. Learn more about my portrait and headshot services at Myra Klarman Photography.
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Recent Entries: FestiFools 2016; FoolMoon 2016; FestiFools 2015; FoolMoon 2015; Happy 2015!; Pioneer Theatre Guild: Rent; FestiFools 2014
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