IPhone Apps for Theatre Types

I have an IPhone!

And let me tell you, it’s a revelation. For the past two years, I have been using a Blackberry, for various reasons that expired as time went on.

I get why workaholics like Blackberries. You can’t turn them off. You just can’t. I didn’t want mine to beep every single time I got an email, so I put it on the lowest possible setting, which meant that every time I got an email, it would vibrate, and then vibrate again two minutes later. I like my technology to be there for me, but I don’t want it to be continually beeping at me and telling me I have email, because I will want to check it.

My IPhone does not beep every time I get an email. I get on it when I need to check my email, and I check it. I’m in control.

Well, as much as I can be in control of anything technological.

Oh, and the apps…. all the sweet, sweet apps….

So, in celebration of my first IPhone, I bring you a list of Theatre-related apps:

IBroadway: If you are planning a visit to the Great White Way, you might want to consider this app, which lets you know what’s playing, what’s hot, as well as reviews and exclusive content. (FREE)

At the Booth: When I was in London, every single day began the same way: I’d jump on the tube and go to Liecester Square to the TKTS booth, where they sold day-of half price tickets to shows, buy my tickets for whatever I was going to see that day, and then go on with my day. At The Booth is an app developed by Ken Davenport and his team, for the Times Square version of TKTS in NYC. It has up-to-the minute stats about what half-price tickets are available, as well as other good things. ($.99)

Shakespeare: If I had a buck for every time I thought of a line from Shakespeare and wondered “which show is that from?” I’d be rich. It includes 40 plays, 6 poems and all the sonnets. Seriously, it gives me a theatrical nerdgasm. (FREE)

A couple of tools to help you learn your lines:
Rehearsal: is the professional tool for actors to organize their scripts for auditions and working on set. It basically is like taking your sides and putting them on your IPhone–you can highlight your lines, make notes, and it will even black out your lines for you when you are trying to learn them. You can also record the other character’s lines to play back so that you can “run lines” with  yourself.(FREE for 30 days)

Scene Partner: You upload a script to the Scene Partner website, and then it uses advanced text to speech (TTS) technology to play back your lines, your cues, or whole scenes. You can even record your own voice and the voices of your fellow actors, and merge them with the TTS playback. ($4.99)

And a couple of apps closer to home: (FREE)

• Cirque Du Soliel
• The Stratford Festival
• Vancouver Fringe (for next year)

This is by no means an exhasutive list. What’s your favorite IPhone app? Share it in the comments below.