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Health & Fitness

News in Theater for the New Year

Bits of information on several upcoming productions.

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In the process of wrapping up the calendar year in theater, I am reminded of some wonderful productions set for the new year.

Shakesperience will present a unique production of Shakespeare's King Lear behind the Silas Bronson Library, in Guilford and in Sandy Hook. Artistic Director Emily Mattina has cast a blind Lear. David Richman, professor, author, and Shakespeare scholar from the University of New Hampshire will take on the role of the  king. This promises to be a signature piece for the Waterbury-based Shakesperience. Information below is taken from their website: 

Shakespeare In Library Park

King Lear

Date:  June 26 - 29, 2014
Time: 8pm
Location: Library Park
                Meadow & Grand Streets
                Waterbury, CT
 

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The Amity Regional High School Theater presented 12 Angry Jurors in early December.  Now they are hard at work preparing for their spring musical In The Heights.  Performance are scheduled for April 4,5,10,11,12 in their auditorium. I can't wait to see the concession area in the high school hallway for this production. Break a leg to all the Amity students involved and kudos to the devoted adults that support them.

 

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Bob Tansley, who directed last year's production of Annie,  is excited to say that the Blessed Sacrament Children's Theatre will be performing the musical Peter Pan for their 2014 show. They will be employing "Flying by Foy" from Las Vegas  for the aerial scenes....Yes they will fly. This promises to be a super production. Volunteer costumer Debbie Forchielli reminds local students that "This is open to ALL kids PreK-8th grade, no matter what school! They have a blast doing these shows!"


The members of the newly merged Naugatuck High School Western School Drama Club are hard at work preparing for their presentation of  Wizard of Oz. The teenaged leads includes the irrepressible Preston Bogan, Danielle D'Oliveira, Alex Hernandez, Juss Duby, Mike Newman and Bailey Anderson. Their director Stephanie Colella is working hard to be number one on my Top Ten Young Actors list next year. Tickets for the performances on Feb. 21 and 22 at 7:00 are on sale now. (Snow dates are the following weekend.) I will be "following the yellow brick road" proudly wearing my emerald green Wizard of Oz t-shirt to see what promises to be a wonderful show in the Davis Auditorium.


Watertown High School will be presenting Leap of Faith under the direction of Foster Evans Reese.  The lead characters have been posted: Ida Mae- Danielle Fusco, Isaiah- Josh Diorio, Jake- Matt LaBlanc, Jonas- Chris Varanko, Marla- Christine Manalo, Ornella- Hailey Chamberlin and Sam- Kristen VanDerlyn. Performance dates
are March 27-29.

Finally, Backstage with Johnny O snagged a little celebrity for the final guest of the year. His in-studio guest was young actor Grace Rundhaug (and her mom, Clair) who played Marta von Trapp in the NBC live presentation of The Sound of Music. Listeners (like me) got to hear all about Grace's experience with the production as well as songs from the soundtrack featuring Carrie Underwood. "Thanks for helping to make 2013 a great year on Backstage!" writes Johnny O.

Click here to listen to the podcast of Grace's interview.



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