Category: Productions

The Catskill Community Players present the romantic comedy, “Almost, Maine”, by John Cariani, at the Wieting Theater in Worcester, on November 13^th & 14^th at 8 pm, preceded by a special theater dinner at the Worcester Inn across the street, with a 2 pm matinee show on Sunday, November 15^th followed by dinner at the Worcester Inn.  “Almost, Maine” is an award winning play — featuring 9 different couples,  in 9 short plays, portrayed by 18 local actors and actresses.

The Story:  On a cold, clear, moonless night in the middle of winter, all is not quite what it seems in the remote, mythical town of Almost, Maine. As the northern lights hover in the star-filled sky above, Almost’s residents find themselves falling in and out of love in unexpected and often hilarious ways. Knees are bruised. Hearts are broken. But the bruises heal, and the hearts mend—almost—in this delightful midwinter night’s dream. A review from the NY Sun called it “A snowy charmer…. These nine tales of love in the time of frostbite have a winning glow that proves surprisingly contagious.”

Nancy Bondurant Couch, who has been the director for Oneonta High School Productions for the past eight years, is directing, with Diana Friedell producing, Reggie Brunson constructing sets, and Kyra McKissick stage managing.  Actors include Dr. Ben Friedell, Diana Friedell, Scott West, Kristin Sloth, Alex Riba, Tiffany Doris, Ed Stammel, Kathy Shimberg, Christine Juliano, Laurie Wehmeyer, Rebecca Chien, J. Lentner, Shane Heidecker, Danica Sessions, Gary E. Stevens, Diane Stammel,  Carol Dean and Doug Decker.

Purchase Advance tickets and Dinner Reservations ($42, $39 for Sr. Cit, $18 for Show Only) for the November 13^th-15^th Show by calling the Worcester Inn at 607-397-8500.

~ Menu ~

1. New York Strip Steak.
2. Herb Crusted Pork Tenderloin with Mango Chutney
3. Baked Stuffed Haddock with Crab meat stuffing
4. State Fair marinated grilled half Chicken
5. Spicy Barbequed Grilled Lamb Chop
6. Vegetarian Special–Spinach Pie

• The dinners will all begin with a cup of Harvest Soup and an all you can eat Salad Bar with our special Home Made Rolls.
• All Entrées will be served with your choice of Agratin or Baked or Mashed Potatoes or special seasoned Rice.
• All Dinner will be served with your choice of vegetable. Choices include Broccoli, Green Beans with Garlic and Brazed Mixed Veg.
• All Dinners will be served with a choice of Desert which include:
  Blue Berry Crisp, Blue Berry Pie, Apple Pie and more

AUDITIONS!
for Catskill Community Players’ production of
ALMOST, MAINE
(alternatively “Love, Loss and What I Wore”)

AUDITION INFORMATION DATES — TWO Dates:
• WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 13, at the Unitarian Universalist Society of Oneonta, 12 Ford Ave., TIME: 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
• WHEN: Thursday, Sept. 17th at the Wieting Theater, 168 Main St, Worcester, TIME: 6:30-8:00 pm.

If you can’t make those two times, please contact Nancy, Director, 607-433-0575, or via e-mail – nancybcouch@yahoo.com, for an alternate audition time.

• WHAT: You will be asked to read from the script. And fill out an Audition Sheet with your prior experience & Conflicts — Scripts will be provided. Please bring a print-out (or your calendar) with your Unavoidable Conflicts for Sept-Oct-Nov.

• PERFORMANCE DATES:
• November 13-15, at the Wieting Theatre in Worcester, NY, combined with Pre-Show Dinner at the Worcester Inn.
• November 20th and 21st, at Unitarian Universalist Society of Oneonta, Oneonta, NY. (still in formulation at this time)

• Synopsis:

Almost, Maine is “a play about real people who are really, truly, honestly dealing with the toughest thing there is to deal with in life: love.” –John Cariani, author

Almost, Maine is a town that’s so far north, it’s almost not in the United States—it’s almost in Canada. And it almost doesn’t exist, because its residents never got around to getting organized. So it’s just… “Almost.”

On a cold, clear, moonless night as the northern lights hover in the star-filled sky, Almost’s residents find themselves falling in and out of love in unexpected and often hilarious ways. Knees are bruised. Hearts are broken. But the bruises heal, and the hearts mend — almost — in this delightful midwinter night’s dream.

• About the Casting:

Almost, Maine is an ensemble play about 9 different couples in various stages of falling in or out of love. In the original production, two female and two male actors played the nine couples.

The number of actors in the CCP production will not be determined until after auditions. We anticipate that we will cast between 6 and 16 actors and that some actors will play more than one role.

All roles are open. Performers of all ethnic and racial backgrounds are encouraged to attend.

Point of information: Some of the scenes will require the characters to kiss.

Everyone of college age and above is welcomed to audition.

The Director is Nancy Bondurant-Couch, who has directed for the past eight years at Oneonta High School, and currently teaches at SUNY Oneonta and Hartwick College.

• Back Up Plan

In the event that we are unable to cast ALMOST MAINE (due to not enough men), the back-up choice will be LOVE, LOSS AND WHAT I WORE by Delia Ephron and Nora Ephron, which is all WOMEN. Based on the book by Ilene Beckerman.

LOVE, LOSS AND WHAT I WORE is a scrapbook of side-splitting stories about unfortunate prom dresses, the traumatic lighting in fitting rooms, high heels, short skirts, and the existential state of having nothing to wear. “Funny, powerful, sweet and saucy! Goes directly to the heart, soul and vanity of every woman, young and old.” – Variety

• REHEARSALS:

Flexible rehearsal dates, times and locations will be arranged after casting.

How often you are called for rehearsal will depend on your role(s).

TECH & DRESS REHEARSALS: Will be scheduled between Nov. 1 and Nov. 13th. Tech Week – you will need to be available evenings from Nov. 9th-12th.

The Catskill Community Players present “Danger in the Dark,” by internationally acclaimed singer/song writer, and local musician, Skip West, on October 18th and 19th, 2014 on the Stage at the Worcester Central School.

“Danger in the Dark” is an original Musical based on 1940’s Film Noir and featuring a live Swing Era Jazz Ensemble.  It tells the story of a down and out private investigator, Trevor Wallace, played by Scott West, and follows him and the colorful characters he meets through his latest mysterious case. Skip West, who is best known for his award winning children’s music launched a successful Kickstarter campaign to help offset the expenses of producing the play.  The Kickstarter Video was produced by Rich West, and West Brothers Music and can be viewed at

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/364313109/danger-in-the-dark.

Diana Friedell, Director, who also plays the role of “Bette” in the play, states, “Skip & I are just in awe of the number of people who backed this project — there were about 80 contributors!” The project is a cooperative venture between Catskill Community Players, WCS Students & Staff, Skip West’s jazz ensemble, “the Brazztet” & members & organizations from the Worcester Community. A Robinson-Broadhurst Grant was also received which will pay for the musicians.

Other Cast Members include Rebecca Maeder Chien, a Vocal Music teacher from South Kortright Central School who plays “Goldie”, the romantic interest, Dr. Ben Friedell, a Family Doctor & Vice-President at Fox Hospital plays Al, his old pal on the Police Force, Vito D’Erasmo, a Theater Professor at SUNY Delhi,  plays the suave, yet deadly Mob Boss, Lou Capelli, and Gary Koutnik (who is also a County Representative) plays “Froggy”.  Adding intrigue to the plot are the characters Duane, the janitor, played by Worcester Student, Michael Fredette, George Loft, an informant, played by Alex Riba, Lucille, a star at the Cavern NightClub, played by Abbey Koutnik, two cops, played by Alex Riba & Kyle Finch, as well as various Swing Era characters who fill out the ensemble, played by Kathy Lewis, Sabrina Young, Carey Larrabee, Sophia Dimopoulos, and Bianca Fernandez.

Song, Dance, Romance & Mystery — Great fun for everyone ages 8 and up!

Diana Friedell is  assisted by Gary Koutnik, and by Stage Manager, Kim Christman, with musical direction by Dan Chien and Skip West, and Costumes designed by Diane Geerken. The show will take place at the newly renovated auditorium at the Worcester Central School, and offers a special pre-show Theater Dinner at the Worcester Inn on Saturday, October 18th,  and a post show dinner after Sunday’s 2:00 pm Matinee.

Tickets for Show Only are $15 for Adults; $12 for Seniors; $10 for Students.  For a complete Theater Dinner + Show tickets are $40 for Adults; $37 for Seniors; $25 for Students.  To Buy Tickets or make Reservations (required for dinner option) call the Worcester Inn at 607-397-8500.  For further details and menu options, go to www.catskillplayers.org, or find Danger in the Dark on Facebook, or call 607-433-2089.

Catskill Community Players is seeking actors, singers of all ages to play the roles for the original musical, “Danger in the Dark”, written by nationally acclaimed Singer/Songwriter, Skip West. Diana Friedell will direct this premiere performance, which is a collaborative effort by Worcester New York educators, community members, school parents, musician/ composer Skip West, contributors through Kickstarter, video producer/ director Rich West and the Catskill Community Players.

Auditions will be held Sunday, July 20th from 1:00-3:00 pm, and Monday July 21st from 6-8:00 pm, at the Worcester Central School’s new stage in their auditorium. To get to the auditorium- from the main entrance (under the canopy at the back of the building) walk straight down the hallway all the way until it ends, take the stairs (on the right) up one level and the auditorium is adjacent to the water fountain as you round from the stairs into the hallway. We will not start officially rehearsing until August 25th. Performances are October 17, 18, 19, in the WCS Auditorium.

Danger In The Dark is an original stage musical written by Skip West, based on film noir and containing twelve original songs in the styles of 1940’s jazz and swing. Although it begins on a dark and mysterious note it is actually a very upbeat story of mystery, love and redemption with a joyful ending. Full of great songs, swing era style music, dance and witty “noir” dialogue it tells the story of down and out private investigator Trevor Wallace, femme fatales Bette and Goldie, and the mob. In addition to the main characters, Danger In The Dark has several secondary characters such as Froggy the informant, Al the police lieutenant [and Trev’s former partner], the “Unstripper” and Lou the mob boss. Rounding out the cast are the singing and dancing “secretarial pool”, the “cop squad” and “the mob”. Songs include titles such as “Danger In The Dark” and eight others. Danger In The Dark is great entertainment for teen through adult audiences.

Contact Diana Friedell, (dfriedell@stny.rr.com, 607-433-2089) if you would like a copy of the script sent to you, or copy of songs, etc. There will be solos as well as a back-up chorus, and easy dance movement for some numbers, so some singing will be needed for the audition. More Info about Catskill Community Players go to www.catskillplayers.org.

Come on Down to the Spa Dee Dah!

The Catskill Community Players present the rollicking Southern Comedy, “The Hallelujah Girls,” by Jones, Hope and Wooten, June 6^th and 7^th at 8pm, and June 9^th at 2pm, at the Worcester Wieting Theatre, in conjunction with a Theatre Dinner at the Worcester Inn. There is an additional 3:00 pm matinee Dinner Theater on Sunday, June 15^th at the Foothills Performing Arts Center.  Gary Koutnik is directing this comedy with Kyra Wehmeyer as Stage Manager.

Hilarity abounds when the feisty females of Eden Falls, Georgia decide to shake up their lives.  After the loss of a dear friend, the women realize time is precious, and if they’re going to change their lives and achieve their dreams, they have to “get on it now!” The vivacious Sugar Lee, played by Linda Reese, impulsively decides to buy an abandoned church and turn it into a Day Spa, the SPA-DEE-DAH.  The hilarity begins around this group of friends, played by local actors Kristin Sloth (as Carlene the “Black Widow” of Eden Falls), Diane Stammel (as Nita, a repressed housewife hooked on Romance novels), Laurie Wehmeyer (as Mavis, the sardonic woman who finds her inner Goddess), Diane Geerkin (as Crystal, the wacky singing receptionist), Abbey Koutnik (as Bunny Sutherland and Sugar Lee’s arch rival), and Dr. Ben Friedell (playing Porter Padgett, the too-energetic would-be-suitor).

Will Sugar Lee resolve her differences with her ex-boyfriend, Bobby Dwayne (played by Tom Schimmerling) and get back together with him after 30 years of misunderstandings? Most anything and everything surely happens in this fast-paced show with 36 costume changes, 110 props and a whole lot of L-O-V-E.  Parental Guidance is recommended for Children under 12.

Purchase Advance tickets and Dinner Reservations ($42, $39 for Sr. Cit, $18 for Show Only) for the Worcester Show June 6-8 by calling the Worcester Inn at 607-397-8500.  For reservations for the June 15^th Dinner Theater at the Foothills Performing Arts Center call 607-431-2080. For more information see our website www.catskillplayers.com, or find Catskill Community Players on Facebook.

 

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Open Auditions are being held on April 22^nd & 24^th from 7:00-8:30 pm  at the Worcester Inn, 151 Main St. in Worcester, NY for the Catskill Players production of “The Hallelujah Girls,” a comedy with rave reviews by Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope and Jamie Wooten.   The production will be directed by Gary Koutnik.  The play will be presented on June 6-8 at the Worcester Wieting Theater, in conjunction with a dinner at the Worcester Inn.  There will also be a 2nd matinee performance at Foothills Performing Arts Center on the following Sunday, June 15th.

“Hallelujah Girls” Plot Description:
“Hilarity abounds when the feisty females of Eden Falls, Georgia decide to shake up their lives.  The action in this rollicking Southern comedy takes place in SPA-DEE-DAH, the abandoned church-turned-day-spa where a group of friends gathers every Friday afternoon.  After the loss of a dear friend, the women realize time is precious, and if they’re going to change their lives and achieve their dreams, they have to get on it now!”

There are obstacles, of course, and a bad guy (actually, a bad girl) – and romance.  There are six women’s roles (five friends and the villianess) and two men’s roles (one fairly substantial role – he gets the girl – and one short one).

Perusal Scripts & more information can be obtained from the director, Gary Koutnik, (607-435-1783).  More information on this 40 year old theater company can be seen at www.catskillplayers.org, or find Catskill Community Players on Facebook!

THE RED VELVET CAKE WAR Photos

The Red Velvet Cake War, a Southern Comedy by Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope, & Jamie Wooten, will be presented by the Catskill Community Players at the Wieting Theatre in Worcester NY, in conjunction with a special theatre dinner at the Worcester Inn across the street, on Friday, June 7th, and Saturday, June 8th at 8:00 p.m., with a 2:00 p.m. matinée on Sunday June 9^th followed by dinner.

The Story:

Cousins Peaches, Jimmie, and Gaynelle are planning a Verdeen family reunion, in Sweetgum, Texas. If the eccentric relatives & a family scandal aren’t enough to throw the plans off track, tornado season will surely spin things out of control. The play takes its name from the plot’s high-stakes wager over who bakes the best red velvet cake.

Playing the three cousins are Kristin Sloth as the frazzled Gaynelle, Abbey Koutnik as the saucy Peaches (also a make-up artist for a mortuary!), and Diane Stammel as the “rough around the edges” Jimmie. Also featured are Sue Pearson as the prisspot Aunt LaMerle; Scott West as the love-struck Newt; Linda Reese as the psychologist, Elsa; Dr. Ben Friedell as Aubrey, the patriarch of the family; and Laurie Wehmeyer as the nosy neighbor, Bitsy. In double roles are Diana Friedell playing Cee Cee, a sassy TV hostess, as well as Mama Doll; and Whitsun Koutnik playing both Sheriff Lout and Purvis Verdeen).

Gary Koutnik, actor and retired educator, of Oneonta, is directing the production, with stage management from Kyra Wehmeyer of Jefferson.

Tickets for Dinner plus the Show are $35 for Adults, $30 Seniors, & $20 for students under 10; or for just the show, $15 Adults, $10 Srs. & Students. Reservations & Tickets may be obtained in advance at the Worcester Inn, or by calling the Worcester Inn at 397-8500. Home-baked refreshments will be available by the Worcester Women’s Club.