Blood, Sweat, and Cheers

Blood, Sweat, and Cheers
Theater	Salvage Vanguard Theater
Directed by	Roy Janik
Produced by	Kaci Beeler
Cast	Alex Dobrenko Amy Gentry Courtney Hopkin Curtis Luciani Halyn Lee Erickson Jessica Arjet Kaci Beeler Karen Jane DeWitt Kayla Lane Freeman Paul Normandin
Run	May/Jun 2013

Blood, Sweat, and Cheers is a devised play about competitive cheerleading.

Summary

The script was written by Amy Gentry and Kaci Beeler. It was subsequently revised to incorporate improvisations by the cast, via a process inspired by Chicago's New Colony theater company.

Cast

• Barbara Davis -- Jessica Arjet
• June Davis -- Kaci Beeler
• Gabriella "Gabi" Romero -- Karen Jane DeWitt
• James Kowalski -- Alex Dobrenko
• Kennedy Campbell -- Halyn Lee Erickson
• Chrissy McCarthy -- Kayla Lane Freeman
• Katherine Pepper (Coach Kay) -- Amy Gentry
• Samantha "Sam" Rogers -- Courtney Hopkin
• Jason Flipp (Coach Jay) -- Curtis Luciani
• Bob Davis -- Paul Normandin

The show also features 9 athletes from Austin Cheer Factory, Austin's most elite all-star cheerleading program, and Hutto High School.

Crew

• Choreography -- Amanda Butterfield, Cortney DeAngelo, Halyn Lee Erickson, and the Austin Cheer Factory
• Lighting design -- Brigette Hutchison
• Sound -- Bridget Brewer
• Set design -- Jon Bolden and Kaci Beeler
• Photography -- Jon Bolden

History

The production process involved eight months of intensive cheerleading training for the cast, and the show was waitlisted for seven months for the Salvage Vanguard Theater mainstage.

The show ran at 8pm, Thursday to Saturday, from 5/30/13 to 6/9/13 at the Salvage Vanguard Theater.

Several cast members played as an exhibition team in Theatresports on 5/25/13.

Media

Videos

• Video of 6/2/13 show.
• Video of 6/6/13 show.

Photos

• Photoset by Steve Rogers of their 6/2/13 performance.
• Photoset by Michael Yew of their 6/8/13 performance.

Publicity

• Promo photo shoot by Jon Bolden.

Other

• [1] of Kaci Beeler's set design.

More Information

• The show's web site.
• The show's kickstarter.
• "Save the date" post on The AIC Forums.
• The show's blog.
• An interview about the play with Kaci Beeler and Halyn Erickson on KUT's Arts Eclectic.
• An interview with Kaci Beeler in The Austin-American Statesman.