By Catherine J. Barrier
The Greater Philadelphia-Bucks County area is rich in theatrical experience. Large, well-known theaters, as well as smaller, more intimate, locally known ones abound, and many of these offer programs that open up the world of artistic expression both to theatergoers and would be theatrical performers. For the next week or two, three area theater groups present a variety of thought-provoking, fun comedies. Moreover, throughout the summer or the regular school year, each group works to develop new talent and to help young people further explore the bountiful world of theater.
“It’s a magnificent set,” says Joe Doyle, the managing director and a founder, in 1996, along with his wife Cheryl, of the Actors’ Non-Equity Theatre (NET) of Bucks County. “It’s circa 1810, and the show is being extremely well received.” Set designer George Hartpence, who co-stars in the show with Carole Thompson, has chosen this unique set, which includes a working fountain (on stage right).
Running through June 6, Shakespeare’s timeless comedy Much Ado About Nothing is being performed Friday and Saturday evenings at 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. at the Heritage Center, located at 635 N. Delmorr Avenue, in Morrisville. Second Fridays (May 28) are “Talk Back Fridays”, when the audience can question cast members after the show. Tickets are $20 for adults, $17 for Seniors (62 years +), and $10 for children up to 13 (http://www.actorsnetbucks.org/; (215) 295-3694; actorsnet@aol.com).
“We try to include at least one classical show per year,” says Doyle. “It was time for a Shakespearean comedy.” And comic the show is—and full of slapstick. In it, two young lovers, Hero and Claudio, while awaiting their upcoming wedding, decide to set a “lover’s trap” for a confirmed bachelor (Benedick) and his favorite (Beatrice). Meanwhile, the evil Don Jon accuses Hero of infidelity to try to prevent her marriage. A chain of events is set in motion, but ultimately, it is all “much ado about nothing”.
The production’s director is Janet Quartarone. “She’s a 4th-season founding member who made her directing debut with us in March 2000, with The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie,” says Doyle.
The Actors’ NET of Bucks County is an actor-driven, not-for-profit regional theatre company run by actors for actors. It uses non-union talent, and its productions range from modern classics and musicals to Shakespeare and new and original works. The group also seeks to celebrate the region’s historical significance and illuminate the issues and personalities that shaped the area, the commonwealth, and the country. The theater company’s venue is a converted municipal garage that provides an intimate (fewer than 100 seats) theatrical experience.
The Actors’ NET is now accepting applications for its 2010 Summer Stars Program, a theatre training program for young people. This popular four-week course meets Monday through Friday at the Heritage Center and professionally trains students, ages 7-12 (9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.) and 13-17 (1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.) in acting, singing, and dance. Designed to be pressure-free and fun, it includes an end-of-course student performance of an original musical show, to be written by Joe Doyle. The cost is $450, and the final deadline for enrolling is May 31st.
“In August, we will do our 6th revival of 1776, as part of the Morrisville Revolutionary Weekend,” says Doyle. The play, written by Peter Stone and Sherman Edwards, depicts the actions and words of those who attended the historic Second Continental Congress in May through July that year and finally signed the Declaration of Independence. The Revolutionary Weekend is August 20-22 and is sponsored by the Morrisville Business Association.
The Lantern Theater Company Presents an Original Adaptation of a C.S. Lewis Classic
“This show tends to attract people interested either in the material [C.S. Lewis’s work] or in Anthony Lawton,” says Anne Shuff, the managing director of the Lantern Theater Company. But Lawton, the author of the original theatrical adaptation of The Screwtape Letters, is committed to presenting drama about spiritual life that will interest all audiences, secular or religious. He wants to “dialogue” with the audience, discussing and considering what is or is not Eternal in all of us.
Now through June 6, the Lantern Theater Company presents The Screwtape Letters, adapted by and starring Anthony Lawton as Screwtape and Philadelphia actress Kim Carson as Screwtape’s dutiful secretary, Toadpipe. Performances are held Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:00 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m., and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. at St. Stephen’s Theater, located at 923 Ludlow Street in Philadelphia. A post-show discussion, held on June 2, will provide the audience interaction with the creative artists involved in the production and is free to ticket holders. Tickets are $25-$35 (http://www.lanterntheater.org/; (215) 829-0395). With valid ID, 10 minutes before curtain, students may purchase tickets for $10 (cash only). Additional senior and group discounts are available.
“We have a long-time partnership with Tony [Lawton]”, says Shuff. “We’re doing The Screwtape Letters this year and have been alternating that with [Lawton’s adaptation of Lewis’s] The Great Divorce, which we did last year.”
Lewis’s The Screwtape Letters, first published serially in the U.K. paper The Guardian in 1941, features a look at human nature from the perspective of a mid-level demon in Hell. The demon, Screwtape, writes letters to his nephew, Wormwood, advising him on how to corrupt a human soul. Instructions on how to prey on human frailties and wickedness abound. But Lawton’s lively adaptation not only explores the philosophical and visceral landscape of Hell but is filled with music, tap-dancing, fire-eating, and numerous illustrations of the seven deadly sins discussed in the letters.
“Our venue [St. Stephen’s Theater] has 135 seats arranged in an ‘L’ on two sides of the stage,” explains Shuff. “The more intimate space pulls people in. Because there are only 135 seats, the action is right in front of you.”
The Lantern Theater Company was founded in 1994 by Charles McMahon and Michael Brophy and is committed to “an authentic and intimate exploration of the human spirit”. It performs classics as well as modern and original works, seeking to create an innovative and stimulating theatrical experience and to evoke thoughtful reflection and continuing discussion. A 13-time winner of Barrymore Awards for Excellence in Theatre, including the 2009 Barrymore Award for Excellence in Theatre Education and Community Service, the Company has more than 16,000 people attend their productions yearly.
The Lantern Theater Company’s Barrymore Award-winning Illumination program gets local students involved in the world of theater by providing student matinees and by partnering with educators to enrich classroom curriculum. Discounted tickets, lesson plans and study guides, and post-show talkbacks with casts and creative teams are all offered. The Company also brings theater to the classroom. Lantern teaching artists will lead class discussions, act out scenes, or tailor fit workshops to particular curriculum needs. Finally, In-School Residencies are available, where Lantern teaching artists visit a classroom for 10 sessions to supplement literature or drama programs. (This latter program is offered free of charge to Philadelphia public high schools with demonstrated financial need. For more information, contact Joshua Browns, Education Director, at (215) 829-9002 x104 or jbrowns@lanterntheater.org.)
The Town and Country Players Offer a Contemporary Comic Treasure
Modern playwright David Lindsay-Abaire’s hilarious Wonder of the World is currently playing, until June 5, at the Town and Country Players Theater, located at 4158 York Road in Buckingham, PA.
“People were laughing hysterically,” says Alana Caraccio, the show’s director, about the first few performances. Caraccio has been with the Town and Country Players Theater since 2005 and is on its Board. She brings to the production two decades of directing experience and once had her own theater company, The Other Vic, in Long Island.
Performances are Friday and Saturday nights at 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. Tickets are $15 and available at http://www.townandcountryplayers.org/ or by calling (215) 348-7566.
“This was one of the most complicated shows, presenting a number of challenges,” says Caraccio. When deciding how to stage the play, a decision to either perform it on a blank stage or to show everything had to be made. In the end, the latter was chosen, and the play’s scenery includes two helicopters, a barrel going over Niagara Falls, a greyhound bus, and the Maid of the Mist boat. “We have something called ‘Living Scenery’ in the play,” explains Caraccio. “This consists of fully-painted, cute, cartoon-like cut scenery that cast members sit inside of and hold up. It was just the right thing to do for this play.”
The Town and Country Players Theater is a non-profit community theater that has been providing Central Bucks County with quality theatrical experiences for more than 60 years. Its dedicated members focus on providing high-quality theater and on enjoying the process of doing so. It has a 5-show season, and its venue is a renovated, air-conditioned barn built in 1767. It has often been a showcase for original plays and little-known gems.
“Most of the actors in this show are new to Town and Country,” says Caraccio. “Only three of the cast members have been with Town and Country previously. We’re welcoming in a lot of new people.”
This year, the Town and Country Players also present an expanded schedule for their 2010 Summer Theater Workshops. “We started these about 7 or 8 years ago,” says Anne Odland, the workshops’ director. “They were established as an opportunity to let students know what goes on behind-the-scenes. It’s more about the nitty-gritty [of theater]—learning about auditions, hair and make-up, improvisation, acting, dance, slapstick, stage combat, singing.”
“Last summer, we had two 1-week sessions and an early deadline,” says Odland, who is very involved in the musicals at Town and Country and is the vocal musical director for their Annie this summer. “We were at capacity well before the deadline and had a waiting list of 12-15, so this year we have four sessions.” The first two sessions are already sold out, and Workshop 3 (August 2-6, for ages 8-11, 9:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m.) and Workshop 4 (August 9-13, for ages 12-15, 9:00 a.m.-4 p.m.) are filling up quickly. Tuition: $300 until June 1, $325 after that. Contact Anne Odland at marketing@townandcountryplayers.org or at (215) 918-2503.
So, whether in the mood for some comic relief born of the foibles of human nature or for some classroom hands-on theatrical experience, opportunities abound right here in our local area.
© 2010 by Catherine J. Barrier. All rights reserved.
