Richard D. Russell » Emily Clare Thompson

Winner Takes All! Pictures

Richard D. Russell — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 16:38:17 +0000

On June 6, 2013 the Central School at East Hanover, NJ presented “Winner Takes All!” This is my collaborator Emily Clare Thompson’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s “Love’s Labour’s Lost.” The setting is a three-week summer camp where Team Italy (the boys) and Team France (the girls) are fierce rivals. On each team, though, there are a few who recognize the true value of play and learning, and don’t see any need for quarreling. Can these enlightened students, with the help of Team Switzerland, bring the two battling camps together?

There was an afternoon performance for the school and its teachers, and an evening performance for parents. You should be able to click the pictures below for a closer view.

Afternoon rehearsal led by Emily Clare Thompson

“Winner Takes All!” in the afternoon

“Winner Takes All!” in the evening

The camp leaders of Team France, Team Italy, and Team Switzerland

Ms. Boyet teaches that “All is Fair in Love and War”

Ms. Holloway talks with the Swiss Misses

members of Team France

A broken leg inspires Team France and Team Italy to come together: “Just Be My Friend.”

The Swiss Misses teach that “We Are One.”

“We Are One” reprise with everyone joining in

Another big crowd!

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Photos from “It Takes A Rainbow”

Richard D. Russell — Wed, 15 May 2013 14:46:18 +0000

“It Takes A Rainbow” with book and lyrics by Emily Clare Thompson and music by Richard D. Russell, premiered May 9, 2013.

It’s a very good show in its simplicity. The curtain rises on a village of brown lizards who are safe and warm at home, “Where All is Brown.” Several lizards decide to explore the outside world, where they find red frogs (“When You’re Seein’ Red”), orange and yellow frogs (“Citrine Samba”) and so on. One by one the lizards change color. They learn that difference is nothing to fear. They return home to teach the king and queen that “It Takes A Rainbow.”

It’s a great little show, about 45 minutes long, and was a big hit with students, teachers, and parents. The staging, while simple, was exceedingly effective, especially the costumes! (See also the program, on this website.)

Here are several pictures from the show. (Thanks to Sofia Dimitrova for lending her photography skills!) Click the image (within your browser) to enlarge.

Emily Clare Thompson and Richard D. Russell at the school sign

It’s a blockbuster! The crows waits to enter the theater.

“Where All is Brown”

A brown lizard learns how great it is “When You’re Seein’ Red”

“When You’re Seein’ Red”

The “Citrine Samba”

“Explore The World of Green”

“You Gotta Sing the Blues”

“You just can’t be unhappy when you’re blue or indigo”

“Searching high, searching low!”

The Purple and Violet Hoedown

The lizards return home in transformed colors

“It Takes a Rainbow”

Emily Clare Thompson reading acknowledgements

Emily Clare Thompson introduces Richard D. Russell

Emily Clare Thompson and Richard D. Russell after the show

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Children’s Musical “War of the Words” premieres

Richard D. Russell — Sat, 09 Jun 2012 13:15:20 +0000

On May 31, 2012, my musical collaborator Emily Clare Thompson and I premiered a children’s musical, War of the Words, at the school where she teaches in East Hanover, NJ. The group of youngsters from Central School in he East Hanover School District gave their lunch hours, recess, and after school time to rehearse and learn the score, and the work paid off for this very talented group of kids.

The show is an updated setting of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, set jn a modern-day grade school. Here are several pics from the evening — click the picture for a closer view.

Benedick & Beatrice

War of the Words

The Principal, Coach, and Head Teacher

“That’s Not the Life for Me” — Boys

“That’s Not the Life for Me” — Girls

The Costume Ball

a group at the Costume Ball

The Costume Ball

The Student Security Watch

The Company

Accusations!

The truth is revealed

Richard D. Russell & Emily Clare Thompson

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Songs from Poet’s Corner: April 10, 2011

Richard D. Russell — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 16:33:06 +0000

Several new and old Richard Russell pieces will be featured in this April 10 concert (3pm) presented by In Mid Air Productions. “Reverie for Flute and Piano”, a piece composed as an undergraduate, will be performed, as will the much more recent “Four Songs of Shakespeare in Madrigal Style.” Among the new pieces are “Crossing the Bar” for baritone and piano trio, on a text of Tennyson, and “Longing” for soprano and piano trio, based on a poem by Matthew Arnold.

Here is the press release from the IMAP website:

In anticipation of the royal nuptials scheduled at the abbey this April, In Mid Air Productions presents its spring salon, Songs of Poets‚Äô Corner in Westminster Abbey.

On Sunday, April 10, 2011, at 3pm, IMAP will perform readings and new compositions featuring the works of the poets honored and buried at Westminster Abbey. Robert W. Butts will again conduct our troupe of musicians in pieces he has composed, along with new pieces by Anthony Bevilacqua, Kevin McCarter, and Richard D. Russell. Featured performers include Iliya Roitman, Kristine Hart, Alejandra Altonjy, Dan Foran, Mark Fitzgerald Wilson, and Emily Clare Thompson.

Please join us for a celebration of spring and poetry!

For more information, updates, or ticket reservations, contact: Emily Clare Thompson at office: (973) 404‑0540 or seasonal.sunday.salons@gmail.com

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“Amid the Blinding Snow” Feb. 20 pictures

Richard D. Russell — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 00:50:55 +0000

In Mid Air Productions presented another successful concert last Sunday, February 20, “Amid the Blinding Snow.” Richard Russell’s new compositions included Three Partings, Amid the Blinding Snow, and Ah! Are You Digging on my Grave? Robert W. Butts contributed several pieces in addition to conducting, and newcomer Kevin McCarter, composer, was welcomed too.

More pictures will be presented soon, but here’s the first round.

Dan Foran and Emily Clare Thompson ham it up

Dan Foran as the dog from “Are You Digging on My Grave?”

The cast takes a bow

Composer Kevin McCarter with pianist Aaron Dai

Robert W. Butts, Emily Clare Thompson, Kevin McCarter

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The Oct 24 Poe Concert: Higher resolution pics

Richard D. Russell — Sun, 31 Oct 2010 20:53:00 +0000

Here are a few additional pictures from In Mid Air Productions’s October 24 concert celebrating Edgar Allan Poe. These photos are by Anthony Shashaty. (Click for larger size)

Dan Foran sings “Annabel Lee”

Dan Foran

Dan Natkie as Edgar Allan Poe, Jessica Castro as Virginia Clemm

Emily Clare Thompson sings “Eldorado”

Emily Clare Thompson and Richard Russell after the concert

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“A Law Divine” and songs from “Hades”, on July 25

Richard D. Russell — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 23:26:00 +0000

click for a larger size view

On July 25, 2010 In Mid Air Productions presents its next Seasonal Sunday Salon: ‚ÄúSongs of a Sultry Summer: Surrender to the Siren.‚Äù The concert will feature several world premieres, with music by Robert Butts, Robert Cohen, and Richard D. Russell. Maestro Butts is the afternoon‚Äôs conductor.

Richard Russell’s premieres will be “A Law Divine” for baritone and piano trio, a song cycle of three texts: A Red, Red Rose (Burns), Love’s Philosophy (Shelley), and Break of Day (Donne).

Also on tap are chamber music arrangements of two songs from Hades, a forthcoming musical drama with lyrics by Emily Clare Thompson and music by Richard Russell.

Tickets are $25 at the door, but a reduced rate of $15 is available if you reserve your ticket by July 23. (Students and seniors are $15, while the early pre-July 23 rate is $10.)

To reserve your spot, email your name, ticket type, and number of tickets to seasonal.sunday.salons@gmail.com. (Questions may also be directed here.)

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