Cast of “Hold on to Your Butts” appearing at Old Firehouse, McLean. Photo by Jacob Hiss/Courtesy McLean Community Center
Where and When
McLean Community Center presents “Hold On To Your Butts” at the Old Firehouse, 1440 Chain Bridge Road, McLean. Performance: Saturday, Nov, 17 at 6 p.m. Tickets $14 MCC Tax District/$19 non MCC. Call OvationTix customer service toll-free: 866-811-4111 or visit www.McLeanCenter.org
- McLean Community Center presents “Family Fun with Foley” workshop at the Old Firehouse, 1440 Chain Bridge Road, McLean. Performance: Saturday, Nov. 17 at 2 p.m. Tickets $8 MCC Tax District/$12 non MCC. Call OvationTix customer service toll-free: 866-811-4111 or visit www.McLeanCenter.org. Note: This class is designed for those 8 and up, and for families to participate together. Children under 14 must have a parent register with them.
Note: A “Hold on to Your Butts” and “Family Fun with Foley” Workshop ticket combo is available: Combo tickets: $18 MCC tax districts/$26 non MCC. Call OvationTix customer service toll-free: 866-811-4111 or visit www.McLeanCenter.org.
Before the McLean Community Center (MCC) reopens after its renovations, there are several family friendly events at the Old Firehouse, including a performance of “Hold on to Your Butts” by the comic “Recent Cutbacks.”
“Hold on to Your Butts” is a two-actor live performance with a multitude of sound effects (called Foley in the movie business). It is a shot-by-shot remake of the blockbuster hit “Jurassic Park,” a huge audience favorite. “Butts” is for families and children fascinated by dinosaurs and having them appear before their eye and ears with just actors and imagination.
“We scheduled ‘Hold On To Your Butts’ because it’s hilarious,” said Sarah N. Schallern, McLean Community Center performing arts director. “This show is funny, clever, silly, imaginative, and just tons of fun. We think ‘Hold on to Your Butts’ is a great night out for the whole family. We’ve even decided to start the show at 6 p.m. to make it easier on families who don’t want a late night.
“While the original ‘Jurassic Park’ may be terrifying to some, this ‘two idiots and a Foley artist’ recreation is terrifyingly funny,” said Schallern. “The company uses props, action figures, cardboard cutouts, and even a traffic cone to create a world in which dinosaurs are funny. And all without really changing anything about the movie.”
“This show is a perfect fit for our “pop-up” black box theatre at The Old Firehouse Center,” Schallern said.
Danielle Van Hook, MCC director of youth programs, said there will be another family centered event at the Old Firehouse the same day as “Butts.” It is a “Family Fun with Foley” workshop.
“This workshop is for those who have ever seen a show and thought, ‘I can do that.’ Well yes, you can!” said Van Hook. “We wanted to set up a hands-on workshop. How often are Foley sound effect artists in town? The way that these artists create feeling with sound is in a league of their own. What is even more incredible is that they do it with everyday objects.”
In the Foley workshop families will explore sound and use their own creativity for storytelling. No tablet or cell phone needed.
Latest information is that the McLean Community Center renovation is expected to be completed fairly soon; and the facility once again brightly lit and open to the public. The re-opening date is Saturday, Jan. 5, 2019. Save that date.