Category: Productions

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AUDITIONS – THE GREAT KOOSHOG LAKE HOLLIS MACCAULEY FISHING DERBY

‘The Great Kooshog Lake Hollis McCauley Fishing Derby’
Written by Norm Foster • Directed by Nancy Bondurant-Couch
Produced by Catskill Community Players • Spring 2019

Performances will be held at
The Wieting Theatre
168 Main Street, Worcester, NY 12197
Friday, April 5 at 8:00 pm
Saturday, April 5 at 8:00 pm
Sunday, April 7 at 2:00 pm

Auditions will be held at the ISD
(Institute for Spiritual Development)
41-45 Dietz St., Suite #1, Oneonta, NY 13820 
Thursday, January 31 at 6PM
Saturday, February 2 at 4PM
Call-backs will be held Sunday Feb. 3

Rehearsals will be held in Oneonta until 2 weeks prior to the performance date.

Production Description
If you are growing tired of real-world stresses, then cast away your troubles and savor a Canadian comedy that traffics unabashedly in human goodness.

“The Great Kooshog Lake Hollis McCauley Fishing Derby” is a beautifully written story about one small town, five big hearted people and a big fish. Written by award-winning Canadian playwright Norm Foster, this quirky, funny, and heartwarming comedy comes complete with romance, broken hearts, and the hunt for the elusive catfish named Hollis McCauley. 


Uptight investment banker James Bell is on his way to present a very important speech, when his car breaks down in the wilderness town of Kooshog Lake.  Finding himself stranded with little to do, he is lured into participating in the annual fishing derby, which offers a prize of $92,000 to the angler who can catch Hollis McCauley, the legendary catfish named for its resemblance to the local high school shop teacher! Soon James realizes that he is the fish out of water, and we follow this city boy as he is bewildered and beguiled by the people he meets.  James gets a crash course in fishing, but the real lessons he learns are about life. There’s laughter all through this charming and funny fish story, a story that’s filled with real people and real heart.

CAST (3 Female, 2 Male)

SIENNA GREY: Female, 50-60+
dry-humored, divorced, and missing her only son, who moved away months before and still hasn’t called; she owns the only store in town; she and her store are the hub for the town’s news and gossip; she enjoys playing with out-of-towners, and James Bell is no exception.

JAMES BELL: Male, 30-35
focused, driven, slightly awkward investment banker, who gets stranded in Kooshog, on his way to a conference; by play’s end he’s learned how to fish, but he’s also learned how to live.

RHONDA BORKOWSKI: Female, 40-55
dry-humored, somewhat over-sexed local; she’s flirty, fun, and looking for love; she owns the only hotel in Kooshog which means that single banker James has to be on his guard while he’s stuck in town.

KIRK DOUGLAS: Male, 50-60+
the owner of the town’s garage and bait & tackle shop; he’s wise, witty, and sometimes a little confused. He has an interesting catalog of stories, analogies, and sayings; and he’s the founder of the Hollis McCauley Fishing Derby, based on the mighty fish story he tells.

MELANIE MORNINGSIDE: Female, 25-35
dry-humored, sunny, a little bit vulnerable, independent local, who owns the town’s antique shop. She’s fiercely protective of Kooshog’s friendly, slow-paced way of life. She was once in love with Sienna’s now-estranged son, and is nursing that heartache.

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AUDITIONS – ‘Christmas Belles’

Catskill Community Players
announce
Auditions
for
CHRISTMAS BELLES
by Jones / Hope / Wooten

Hey to all our fellow Actors, actresses, please join us in staging another really great play — it all begins with AUDITIONS!

Directed by Gary Koutnik 607-435-1783 garyabbeykoutnik@gmail.com
Produced by Diana Friedell, 607-433-2089

AUDITIONS:
Lotus Center, 41-45 Dietz St., Oneonta
Aug 28, 7-9
Aug 30, 7-9
Sept 1, 11-1
REHEARSALS:
Late October through Early December
PRODUCTION:
December 7, 8, 9, 2018
at the Wieting Theater in Worcester, combined with Dinner at the Worcester Inn!

CHRISTMAS BELLES is another Southern-fried, small-town, chaotic family comedy by the same folks who gave us “Red Velvet Cake Wars” and “Hallelujah Girls.” The story: the church’s Christmas pageant has a new director, and despite the eye rolling and hurt feelings, it looks like it’s going to come together, until the Pancake Dinner plague hits half the cast, the camel turns out to be a polar bear, and Santa is sidelined with a kidney stone. But the family pulls together, despite everything, and along with Elvis and a kid with a wagon, they pull it off to great acclaim.

(Click here for Dramatists Play Service description)

Seven female parts – two perhaps younger than the others
Four male parts – one perhaps younger than the others
Parts will all be fun and challenging

(Click here for cast list)

Please call Gary, the Director, or Diana, the Producer, with any questions. Perusal Scripts are available. If none of the audition dates work for you, let us know, and we’ll get together some other time.

Many hands make light work! Please call or email Diana dianafriedell@gmail.com if you can help with Producing, Stage Managing, Costumes, Lighting, photography, Sound, Scenery, sets, publicity, or anything else! 607-433-2089

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BLOODY MURDER – April 13-15 – Wieting Theater

BUY TICKETS

The Catskill Community Players will present “Bloody Murder,” a parody on the British murder mystery genre, from April 13 through 15 at the Wieting Theatre in Worcester. In the diabolically different, laugh-out-loud comedy directed by Nancy Bondurant-Couch, each of the story’s characters may not be quite what he or she seems to be, and the behavior and choices of the group attending a soirée at an isolated country estate are being determined by a force outside their control. With elements that salute a classic Agatha Christie tale or Madeline L’Engle’s “A Wrinkle in Time,” playwright Ed Sala challenges audience members to laugh, groan, and gasp — all the while playing stage-front detective.

Expect the unexpected as the show’s cast — Carol Dean, Diana Friedell, Scott West, Roxanne Rippa, Dr. Ben Friedell, and J Lentner — portray delightfully stereotypic stock suspense characters from the tricky maid, an incompetent chief inspector, and a wealthy dowager to the egocentric Major, a secretive countess, a money-hungry nephew, and the declining stage actor. Trapped in a complex and surprising scenario, the confused party guests plot comic yet risky strategies to protect themselves from an unknown assassin.

Set Design for “Bloody Murder” is by Raphael Sasson, with Kyra McKissick as Stage Manager, and Production Management by Diana Friedell and Christine Juliano.

Curtain times are 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, April 13 and 14; and 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 15. Admission is $18 and $15 for Seniors. Reserve a special Theater Dinner at the Worcester Inn, with the play, for $42 for Adults and $39 for seniors by calling at the Worcester Inn at 607-397-8500. Dinner (**see Menu below) is served prior to the Friday and Saturday performances and after the Sunday Matinee. To reserve online advance tickets for the show only, click the link below:

BUY TICKETS

Performance tickets are also available at the door, starting one hour before showtime. For more information, find Catskill Community Players on Facebook.

Don’t Miss the Fun — Come for a delicious dinner at the Worcester Inn, too! Call ahead to reserve 607-397-8500.

Theater Dinner Menu Options:

All Dinners include Salad Bar, Dessert & Soup

(Bloody Bisque)

Entrées:

*BermudaTriangle (Maine lobster Tail & Honey Lime Shrimp Skewer)

*Cannibal (Crab Stuffed Shrimp)

*Colonel Mustard Chicken (Chicken Breast)

*Third Degree Burned (Crisp Boneless Pork LoinChop)

*Dahmer Steak (Delmonico Steak)

*Titanic–(Vegetarian)

Desserts: Pirates Rum Cake or Death by Chocolate

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AUDITIONS – ‘Bloody Murder’


Come Play with Us!

Audition Notice:

The Catskill Community Players will be holding open auditions for the play

BLOODY MURDER
A Mystery Comedy
Written by Ed Sala
Directed by Nancy Bondurant-Couch

We will again be welcoming all aspects of production staff: Costumer, Set Design, Artistic Design, House Manager, Stage Manager, Lighting, Sound Design & Operators, Ushers, Box Office, Program, Poster, Publicity, etc. Contact Producer Diana Friedell if you are interested in helping with any aspect of design or production staff.

Audition Location, Dates and Times

The Lotus Center, 41-45 Dietz Street, Oneonta
Saturday, Feb. 3 at 4:00
Sunday, Feb. 4 at 4:00
Monday, Feb. 5 at 6:00

  • Please bring a print out of your schedule/conflicts/commitments
  • You will be asked to read pages from the script in front of the director and other auditionees.
  • If you are unable to attend the auditions, please contact the director by Sunday February 4th
  • or call 607-433-0575 and leave a message

Performance Dates & Location
The Wieting Theatre, Worcester, NY
Friday, April 13
Saturday, April 14
Sunday, April 15

Synopsis
Bloody Murder is a parody on the British murder mystery genre.  Six guests (3 men and 3 women) have been invited to a soirée at the isolated country estate of the elderly Lady Somerset. When one of the guests is murdered before revealing a dark secret, Lady Somerset refuses to let her party be interrupted — even by the police! When the murderer strikes again, however, the remaining guests must work together to revenge themselves on someone who controls their lives — and deaths.

Diabolically different and laugh-out-loud funny, every twist and turn of this extraordinary new play will leave you on the edge of your seat… or falling off it with laughter!

The comedy features all of the stock characters that you’d expect in an Agatha Christie whodunit.

Depending on cast size, the actors may play dual roles, with each character’s doppelganger conveniently disappearing (or dying) when a new character emerges.

The script allows for flexible casting, and so could be cast with 6 or 8 actors — evenly divided between male and female casting.

Contact Nancy Bondurant-Couch if you would like to read a script ahead of time.

CAST OF CHARACTERS
(They all are stereotypes and are meant to be so.)

  1. LADY SOMERSET – In her 70s. A woman of great wealth and social standing.
  2. JANE – In her 60s.Lady Somerset’s maid and head of staff.
  3. EMMA RESSE – LATE 20s.The far-too-innocent ingénue.
  4. The COUNTESS – Late 30s, quite strikingly well preserved.The mystery woman.
  5. The MAJOR – Late 60s.Served with the military in India and constantly reminds everyone of it.
  6. DEVON TREMAINE – Late 40s to early 50s.Formerly great tragic actor, now declining because of his fondness for single-malt Scotch.
  7. CHARLES – Late 30s to early 40s.Her Ladyship’s worthless nephew.
  8. CHIEF INSPECTOR PHELPS – 40s to 50s.The dimwitted policeman.
  9. MOTORIST – Middle-aged woman – cameo – quickly snuffed in Act Two
  10. NUN – cameo – end of Act Two
  11. MR. WOO – very stereo-typed – cameo – quickly snuffed in Act One
  12. EL GATO – French Accent – cameo – quickly snuffed in Act Two
  13. PRIEST – cameo – end of Act Two in the 8 cast version (written in but not certain he is needed in the 12 cast version)
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ALL IN THE TIMING – Nov. 3-5, Worcester – Nov. 10-12, Davenport Center

The Catskill Community Players present the award winning comedy-drama “All in the Timing”, by David Ives, for TWO WEEKENDS- Please note there are TWO completely different locations. . .

· November 3 & 4 at 8:00pm, & Sunday 2pm Matinee at the Wieting Theater in Worcester, preceded by an optional theater dinner at the Worcester Inn across the street, Sunday’s Dinner Follows the Matinee. The link below is for SHOW ONLY Tickets. If you prefer to reserve Dinner plus Show, on Nov. 3, 4 or 5, call the Worcester Inn for your reservations at 607-397-8500.

· November 10 & 11 at 8pm & Sunday, Nov. 12th Sunday 2pm Matinee at The Davenport Center for the Arts, located at 62 Davenport Ctr Rd 2, Oneonta, There is no associated Dinner. Show Only Tickets are purchased thru this link.

“All in the Timing” consists of 6 comic sketches about language, the meaning of life & complications in romantic relationships. In “Sure Thing”: a man and a woman (played by Diana and Ben Friedell, pictured above) meet for the first time in a cafe, where they have an awkward meeting that starts over again, each time they say the wrong thing, until, finally, they romantically connect.

Words, Words, Words tests the theory that 3 monkeys locked in a lab with typewriters (played by Bhala Jones, Christine Juliano & Alex Riba), will eventually write Hamlet.

Scott West plays a Language teacher in The Universal Language who is teaching his new student, played by Lissa Sidoli the dubious language of Unamunda;

Philip Glass Buys a Loaf of Bread is a musical parody of minimalist composer Philip Glass, and features Rebecca Chien, Diana & Ben Friedell & Rick Ryther, with musical direction from Dan Chien.

In The Philadelphia: Two friends & their waitress (played by Judy Greenberg, Lissa Sidoli & Stacy Nelson) get entangled in an altered reality when they try to order dinner.

And last but not least, in Variations in the Death of Trotsky, Scott West plays the revolutionary, Leon Trotsky, who muses about his death from an assassin’s axe, as his gardner, played by Christopher Law, and his wife, played by Roxanne Rippa try to help him figure it all out.

Diana Friedell, President of the Catskill Community Players, is producing, Nancy Bondurant-Couch, who teaches theater classes at SUNY, is directing, with Gary Koutnik assistant directing, and Raphael Sason constructing sets.

TICKETS are $18 for adults and $15 for Senior Citizens & Students, and are Also Available at the Door, for both weekends.

On line Ticket Link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/all-in-the-timing-tickets-38821874271

If you are looking to reserve A “Dinner Theater” Ticket (Dinner + Theater) Tickets are $42 for Adults, $39 for Senior Citizens, only for the November 3rd, 4th and 5th Show, Call the Worcester Inn at 607-397-8500.

For more information go to www.catskillplayers.org or find Catskill players on Facebook (Click here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/65056613773/

“Clever and Laugh out Loud Funny!”

Dinner Theater Menu 11-3, 4 & 5 at the Worcester Inn!

**All dinners include Salad Bar, Dessert and Choice of 2 soups –

Roasted Red Pepper, tomato, gouda Bisque & Autumn Bisque

*Sea food Duo—Maine lobster tail +Honey Lime Shrimp Skewer

*Crab Stuffed Shrimp– with Lemon, Butter + white lime sauce

*Rosemary, Herb Free Range Airline Chicken Breast—

Tender Free Range chicken, with Rosemary, finished with Balsamic reduction glaze

*Apple Crisp Boneless Pork Loin Chop

With caramelized apples and crisp topping finished with Brown Sugar Rum Glaze

*Delmonico Steak—with Bourbon Glaze + Compound Butter

*Vegetarian Zucchini Raft– Mushrooms, Garlic, Onions, Peppers, Tomato with Sweet Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Desserts : Choose from one of our Famous homemade desserts

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MOM’S GIFT in Rehearsal

Lisa Hornick. Nancy Bondurant Couch, Danielle Purdy, Casey Thomas, Ben Friedell, Roxanne Rippa in MOM’S GIFT. Tonight & Tomorrow at 8:00 PM (Friday April 21, Saturday April 22), and Sunday Matinee (April 23) at 2:00 PM, at the Weiting Theater in Worcester, NY.

For reservations to the Dinner + Play, call the Worcester Inn at 607-397-8500. To buy tickets for the Play only, visit www.eventbrite.com/e/catskill-players-presents-moms-gift-tickets-33265459886.

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MOM’S GIFT – April 21-23 – Wieting Theatre

The Catskill Community Players, now in their 43rd season, present the heartwarming family comedy “Mom’s Gift” by Phil Olson, at the Wieting Theatre in Worcester, on April 21st & 22nd at 8 pm, preceded by an optional special theater dinner at the Worcester Inn across the street, with a 2 pm matinee show on Sunday, April 23rd followed by dinner at the Worcester Inn.

In this comedy with a heart, Mom (played by Nancy Bondurant-Couch, CCP Director, and theater teacher at SUNY & Hartwick) has been dead for 11 months and shows up at her husband’s birthday party as a ghost with a mission. The husband is being played by a 20 year veteran of the CCP stage & local favorite, Dr. Ben Friedell.

Like Clarence in “It’s A Wonderful Life,” Mom has to accomplish a task to earn her wings. Only what the task actually is, is a mystery. There are so many things to fix. The problem is complicated by the fact that the only person who can hear or see Mom is her daughter, Kat, played by SUNY theater major, Lisa Hornick.  Kat has been ordered by the court to spend Dad’s birthday with him as part of her Anger Management Program.

One by one,  the family’s secrets are peeled away revealing a shocking truth that surprises even our ghost. The cast is filled out with Danielle Purdy playing Kat’s ditzy sister, “Brittney”, Roxanne Rippa playing family friend “Trish”, Casey Thomas playing Kevin, and Bhala Jones playing the nosey neighbor Mrs. Norquist.

Director Shadow LaValley was a theater major at SUNY Oneonta, and he is supported by a strong creative team, including Nancy Bondurant-Couch & Diana Friedell as Producers,  with assistance by Dylan Thompson, Sapphira Koerner as Stage Manager assisted by Amethyst Gardner, Taylor Clark designing costumes, and Andy Frank as set designer.

Purchase Advance tickets for the Play only ($18 & $15 for Sr. Citizens) online at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/catskill-players-presents-moms-gift-tickets-33265459886, or if Dinner + Play Ticket is preferred, make Reservations for the special rate of  $42, $39 for Sr. Cit. by calling the Worcester Inn at 607-397-8500. Tickets  are also available at the Door at the Wieting Theatre, starting one hour before performance times. For more information  find Catskill players on Facebook (Click here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/65056613773/)

“A humorously poignant and thought ­provoking story… Touching and hysterical in turns…Heartwarming and compelling…This story is a heartfelt cross between family dynamics, the loss of a loved one, and the power of love.” ­ -Tolucan Times

The Catskill Community Players and the Wieting Theatre are thankful to be the recipients of a 2017 Otsego County Community Events Grant.