News about the Summer BBQ, FEATS Wrap-up and our Fall Production

Summer Barbeque!

I hope you are all enjoying your summer! The summer can't be complete, however, without our Official Annual Summer BBQ! As is tradition, FEST will provide drinks, grill and variety of meats (and suitable veggies for the non-meat eaters among you). We would ask that if possible (not mandatory), you bring a side dish or dessert to contribute to the usually over-flowing table of yummies.

The location is again Jeff Book's place.

The BBQ is open to FEST members and their immediate family members / partners. If you know of someone that has made a significant contribution to our success in 2011, but is not a member, let us know and we'll see if we can squeeze them in as well! Or, if you know someone who is seriously considering joining FEST and a good party is the thing that will swing their decision, let us know that as well! We'll put on our best behavior, feed them, and force them to sign up!

We'll also take the opportunity during the BBQ to discuss ideas, generate enthusiasm and hopefully form an organizing team for our 2012 FEST Founder's & 35th Anniversary Festival!

Autumn Production “The Heiress”

Frankfurt English Speaking Theatre presents:
"The Heiress"
written by Ruth and Augustus Goetz
based on the 1880 novel "Washington Square" by Henry James
directed by Sarnia Jane Schüßler

Performances: 3^rd, 4^th, 5^th and 10^th, 11^th, 12^th November 2011 at the Internationales Theater Frankfurt

Cast:

Dr. Austin Sloper - David Mark
Morris Townsend - Harald Schoppe
Mrs. Lavinia Penniman -  Sandra Regenbogen
Catherine Sloper - Rebecca Clyburn
Mrs. Elizabeth Almond - Vera Mark
Marian Almond - Jasmin De Main
Maria - Margot Phelan
Mrs. Montgomery -  Melissa O'Connor
Arthur Townsend - Patrick Janelle

Production Team:

Producer - Patrick O’Sullivan

Director -  Sarnia Jane Schüßler

Assistant Director -  Cher Chislett-Boeser

Stage Manager - Jeff Book

Assistant Stage Manager - Isabel Corniche

Marketing Manager - Sabine Posniak

Marketing Team - Laura McQuillan, Andrew Kanutin

Sound & Lights - Diego Ahogado, Manuel Pescher

Make-Up - Lars Heine

Set Design -  Chris Palmer, Eric Robinson

Costumes - Julie Regenbogen

FEST at FEATS 2011

After months of rehearsals, and with anxious anticipation and 5 Frankfurt shows under their belt, FEST performed a terrific version of “A Time for Farewells”, by Damian Trasler, at FEATS 2011 in Geneva. The piece was well received by friends and family in the audience, as measured by the pats on the back the cast received in the FEATS bar afterwards, and the tears shed by the many that were touched and moved by the play and the performance. Although I am somewhat biased as the director, I think it was their best performance!

Alas, there were no awards to be had for FEST this time around. The adjudication was critical but fair, and it should be noted that every performance in the Festival seemed to receive critical, but fair, adjudication. It was good to hear the adjudicator offer suggestions and critique about things we as a cast had already considered in our very collaborative rehearsal process. So from that perspective, there were so surprises in the adjudication, just professional and artistic differences of opinion.

Our Stage Team, led by (first-time FEATS Stage Manager) Kerstin Buck also delivered a superb performance and flawless execution. The pressure of Stage Managing at a competition such as FEATS should not be underestimated, and Kerstin and her team rose to the challenge. From bed linen to telephone, from tables and beer in a tinny, to door frame and door knocks, every detail of the set and props was mastered by Kerstin and her crew.

I am sincerely grateful and thankful for all the hard work, energy, collaboration and time everyone put into bringing this play to stage in Frankfurt and for the international amateur theatre community in Geneva.

Jeff Book (Director, “A Time For Farewells”)

FEST’s 35th Anniversary

FEST plans to celebrate its 35^th Anniversary during the autumn of 2012. We are looking for volunteers to form a small team to come up with ways of marking this occasion. Is there a theatrical project that you feel would be appropriate to celebrate FEST as it enters its mid-thirties?

Please contact us at   This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to volunteer.

Spring Production and FEATS 2012

We’re looking for directors for 2 or 3 one-act plays to take place in Spring 2012 and to enter in the FEATS competition in Antwerp.

Please contact us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to volunteer.

FEST Member in short film

Chapeau to Alex Kay, recently star of the FEST production "A Time For Farewells" in Frankfurt and Geneva, on the release of the short film, "We Miss You".

The film was made by the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg and was set in New York (though shot in Frankfurt).

Now, the multi-award-winning film can be seen online at http://www.wemissyou.de/