Five Out of Seven GLT Actors Will Work Triple Time This December

Greenville Little Theatre's (GLT) latest MainStage production, Sherlock Holmes and the Christmas Goose, features five actors who have tripled up and are performing in all three of GLT's December shows.

Greenville favorite Sam McCalla (as Sherlock Holmes) is joined by resident actors Carter Allen, Latreshia Lilly, Jamie Ann Walters, Cory Granner, and Craig Smith who can also be seen in Frosty and with GLT on Tour's Charlotte's Web. This will amount to at least 130 hours in rehearsal and performance hours for the actors, which does not include their other responsibilities at the Theatre. Performances of Sherlock and Frosty will overlap for a week in December, with Frosty playing during the day and Sherlock playing that evening.

This time of year is something Sam McCalla, GLT's Associate Artistic Director, considers when hiring resident actors for each season. During auditions, both locally and at the Unified Professional Theatre Auditions (UPTA) which are held in Memphis, Tennessee each year, the holiday schedule is discussed in great detail with all actors who are being considered for the job. One thing McCalla looks for when hiring is someone who is not only willing to put in the hours, but is excited by it.

"Being a GLT Resident Actor is a demanding job." McCalla explains, "especially during the holiday season, and I want to make sure that every actor knows exactly what they are signing up for. The actors we end up with are craving those busy times of year, when they get to work on multiple productions, juggle loads of responsibility, and perform all day long."

In addition to performing, the resident actors also have day jobs at the theatre. Jamie Ann Walters is the Marketing Assistant and has a challenging schedule with the strict print and ad deadlines to manage along with her rehearsal schedule.

"During Over the River and Through the Woods I would sometimes have a call time early in the morning to perform Charlotte's Web," says Walters, "then would go back to the theatre to work on marketing materials, then to Sherlock rehearsal for a few hours, and then hop on over to perform Over the River. There were several 6:30am until 11pm days."

"It takes a lot of planning to put the rehearsal schedule together." McCalla says about managing the calendar. "That's especially true for scheduling Frosty because we can't rehearse at night since Sherlock rehearses at that time. And most days, GLT on Tour is performing Charlotte's Web in the mornings. Finding rehearsal time in an already packed schedule can be a challenge."

GLT on Tour is an educational component of Greenville Little Theatre and brings the "page to the stage" to elementary schools within a 90 mile radius of GLT. For each performance, the actors load the GLT on Tour van, travel to the school and set up the props. Once in costume, the actors have a meet and greet with the students prior to the performance. Following the performance, there is a talkback session where the school children can ask questions. GLT On Tour will perform Charlotte's Web just under 100 times during the 2017-2018 school year.

Sherlock Holmes and the Christmas Goose is directed by Suzanne McCalla. Show dates are December 7-8 and 13-16 at 8 pm, December 9 at 2pm and 8pm, and December 10 and 17 at 3 pm. Tickets are $28.

Frosty is directed by Emily Grove. Show dates are December 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 at 10:30am, December 12 at 7pm, and December 16 at 2:00pm. Tickets are $15.

GLT on Tour's Charlotte's Web is directed by Allen McCalla. Performances are held at various Elementary schools through-out the school year. There will be a special in-house showing February 22 and 23 at 10:30 am, and February 24 at 2pm. Tickets are $15.

For more information, please call the Box Office at 864-233-6238 or visit our website at www.greenvillelittletheatre.org.

Greenville Little Theatre Box Office is located at 444 College Street on Heritage Green and is open Monday through Friday from 10 am - 5 pm.

About Greenville Little Theatre: Greenville Little Theatre, founded in 1926, is the Upstate's oldest and largest locally-producing arts organization. The 571-seat Charles E. Daniel Theatre is located on Heritage Green at 444 College Street, Greenville, SC 29601. Best known for their mainstage season, GLT also produces two holiday productions and presents 2 concert performances. GLT on Tour, the theatre's educational outreach program, performs at elementary schools throughout the Southeast.

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