Highlands Little Theatre

P.O. Box 691 Sebring Florida USA 33871 Tel: 863-382-2525

Art Brand - One of Three Potential Directors
By: Roy Riedy

Since October, 1999, The Board of Directors has determined that a member aspiring to become a director at Highlands Little Theatre must fulfill the following requirements: The member must serve as an Assistant Director or Producer of a ticketed (main stage) production; must have production experience in at least five HLT season-ticketed shows in three of the following six areas: Set Design, Stage Manager, Set Construction, Lighting, Sound, and Music Production.

Art Brand became associated with Highlands Little Theatre in Sue McCollum's Twenty-fourth Season opener, Godspell for which he designed the Sound, that was in October, 1997. Since his initial involvement, Art has been affiliated with 40 other productions presented at the Lakeside Playhouse. After Godspell, Art worked on three other plays in the Twenty-fourth Season: he was part of the Sound team for Peter Pollard's production of My Favorite Year, a member of the Construction team of Beverly Gillilian's Paint Your Wagon, and Co-designer of the Sound Design and one of its Technicians for Tammie Pollard's production of Rumors. At the end of that busy season, Art was rewarded for his work with a Production/Technical Award at the Thirteenth Annual Zenon Awards in October, 1998 for his Sound Design for Godspell and Rumors.

Art was responsible too for the Sound Design for Melanie Boulay's colorful presentation of the Twenty-fifth Season opener, the legendary Wizard of Oz. He performed the same service for the next play of the season, Peter Pollard's outstanding drama The Miracle Worker. He teamed up with John Lovelette in producing the Sound Design for Frank Oberhausen's revival of The Sound of Music and did the microphone placement for Beverly Gillilian's comedy Arsenic and Old Lace. He rounded out the Twenty-fifth Season by being Jet Hansen's Stage Manager for his excellent Noises Off. Art received three nominations for Zenons at the Awards Ceremonies in October, 1999: Best Stage Manager for Noises Off; a Production/Technical nomination, with John Lovelette, for their Sound Design for The Sound of Music; and a second Production/Technical nomination for his Sound Design/Technician work for The Miracle Worker, which he won, bringing his Zenon count to two awards.

Art was involved with every presentation of the Twenty-sixth Season at the Lakeside Playhouse. The season opened with John Lovelette's production of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, for which Art did the Sound Design and served as a Lighting Technician with Mark Elliott. Frank Oberhausen presented a reprise of Annie Get Your Gun as the second show of the season, and Art worked on its Sound and also appeared on stage as Buffalo Bill. Sue McCollum's Bye Bye, Birdie followed and Art did the Sound Design for that show. Mike Logsdon's Run For Your Wife was the fourth show of the season and Art served as Mike's Assistant Director and also provided the Sound Design. In late July, 2000, The Children's Academy of Theatre, Inc. (CAT) presented Rumplestiltskin on HLT's stage and Art received thanks in that program for his help with that project. The final show of the season was Melanie Boulay's revival of the musical Oliver! and during its run he could be found helping out in Anthony's Lounge. At Zenon time Art was rewarded for his total involvement in the 26th season by being presented a third Production/Technical Zenon for his Sound Design for One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest; Annie Get Your Gun; Bye Bye, Birdie; and Run For Your Wife; a fitting reward for a very busy season.

The Twenty-seventh Season at HLT was just as busy for Art as the Twenty-sixth. He participated in another six events that started with Jet Hansen's production of On Golden Pond for which Art and Thor Knutson supplied the Sound Design. The "Extra" one weekend show, A Tuna Christmas, directed by Mac Byron followed in early December for which Art furnished the Sound Design. During Frank Oberhausen's revival of The King and I, Jim McCollum's presentation of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, and Steve McDaniel's Moon Over Buffalo, Art worked with the staff of Anthony's Lounge. Tammie Pollard's West Side Story brought Art backstage to work as a Sound Technician with Peter Pollard, Thor Knutson, and Joe Willis.

Art worked in Anthony's Lounge during the first two shows of the Twenty-eighth Season: Frank Oberhausen and Kathy MacNeill's Guys and Dolls, and Peter Pollard's Foxfire. He returned to the stage to design the Sound for Joe Willis' grandiose Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat in March, 2002, and in June worked on the lighting with Mark Elliott for Mike Logsdon's comedy, Move Over Mrs. Markham. Art worked in Anthony's Lounge during the run of Melanie Boulay's delightful Peter Pan and at Zenon time Art was nominated for a Production/Technical Zenon at the Seventeenth Annual Awards Ceremonies at the end of the Twenty-eighth Season.

During the Twenty-ninth and Thirtieth Seasons Art was occupied with the Gourmet Division and Anthony's Lounge but still found time to be the Stage Manager and design the sound for Mike Logsdon's Zenon winning Out Of Order in the Thirtieth Season.

During the Thirty-first and Thirty-Second Season besides his work as a Master Chef he found time to do the Sound Design for three plays: Denise Miriani's Wait Until Dark; Joe Willis' Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, and Mac Byron's Drop Dead.

Since joining HLT ten years ago, Art's participation at the Lakeside Playhouse includes activities in 41 plays, 1 Christmas program, and 5 Zenon programs. His name has appeared in 38 HLT Newsletters and 32 Local news articles for a total of 117 citations, and Art has been awarded three Zenons in addition to being a member of the Board of Directors during the 2005-2006 Season.

Thank you Art for the countless hours you have spent at HLT both in Gourmet and also bringing your brilliant sound to the audiences of HLT. We look forward to seeing your work as a director.