Productions, Auditions, Meetings
Lisa Hornick. Nancy Bondurant Couch, Danielle Purdy, Casey Thomas, Ben Friedell 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.
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”, 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.
The Catskill Community Players present the award winning romantic comedy “Duets”, by Peter Quilter, at the Wieting Theater in Worcester, on October 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, October 23rd followed by dinner at the Worcester Inn.
DUETS is a hilarious tribute to the strength and madness of the human heart. It is a romantic comedy made of four sets of characters, having four crucial moments. In the first scene, Jonathan and Wendy (played by Ben Friedell and Diane Stammel) are on a blind date and hoping to get it right this time even though they’ve never got it right before; In the second scene, Barrie (played by Scott West) is not really interested in women but Janet sees that as no reason to stop trying; Shelley (played by Rebecca Maeder Chien) and Bobby (played by Shadow LaValley) have decided to holiday in Spain to finalize their divorce whilst drowning in cocktails; Angela (played by Diana Friedell) is marrying for the third time to the dismay of her brother Toby (played by Bill Goertemoeller) and amidst a barrage of bad omens and a dress resembling a parachute.
Diana Friedell, President of the Catskill Community Players, is producing, Nancy Bondurant-Couch, who teaches theater classes at both SUNY and Hartwick, is directing, with Lisa Hornick, a Theater major at SUNY Oneonta serving as stage manager, and Charlie Reiman constructing sets.
Purchase Advance tickets and Dinner Reservations ($42, $39 for Sr. Cit, $18 for Show Only) for the October 21st-23rd show by calling 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/
“This bittersweet quick-change comedy is streaked with pathos and is effortlessly charming, with each character sketched with verve and skill” (Sydney Morning Herald)
The Catskill Community Players present the award winning comedy, “Vanya, Sonia, Masha & Spike”, by Christopher Durang, at the Wieting Theater in Worcester, on May 13th & 14th at 8 pm, preceded by a special theater dinner at the Worcester Inn across the street, with a 2 pm matinee show on Sunday, May 15th followed by dinner at the Worcester Inn.
Siblings Vanya (Scott West) and Sonia (Abbey Koutnik) share the family homestead in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, where they bicker and complain about their lives. Suddenly their movie-star sister, Masha (played by Diana Friedell), swoops in with her new boy toy, Spike (Shadow C. LaValley). Cassandra, their fortune telling housekeeper, played by Bhala Jones, forecasts impending doom when Nina (Katie McKenna), the beautiful young aspiring actress comes a calling and becomes the object of Masha’s jealousy.
Nancy Bondurant Couch, who has been the director for Oneonta High School Productions for the past eight years, is directing, with Diana Friedell producing, Charlie Reiman constructing sets and Laurie Wehmeyer stage managing.
Purchase Advance tickets and Dinner Reservations ($42, $39 for Sr. Cit, $18 for Show Only) for the May 13th-15th show by calling the Worcester Inn at 607-397-8500. For more information go to www.catskillplayers.org or find Catskill Community Players on Facebook.
“Deliriously funny. . . a heedless good time.”
– NY Times
AUDITIONS!!
“VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE”
Written by Christopher Durang
Directed by Nancy Bondurant-Couch
AUDITIONS
o Please bring a print out of your schedule/conflicts/commitments
OR
o or call 607-433-0575
PERFORMANCE DATES/LOCATION:
Synopsis:
Middle-aged siblings Vanya and Sonia share a home in Bucks County, PA, where they bicker and complain about the circumstances of their lives. Suddenly, their movie-star sister, Masha, swoops in with her new boy toy, Spike. Old resentments flare up, eventually leading to threats to sell the house. Also on the scene are sassy maid Cassandra, who can predict the future, and a lovely young aspiring actress named Nina, whose prettiness somewhat worries the imperious Masha.
— Winner of the 2013 Tony Award for Best Play.
Character Descriptions (2 male, 4 female):
Nancy Bondurant-Couch also directed ALMOST MAINE for CCP in November, and also has to her credits other plays in the community including some for Orpheus Theatre and Oneonta High School productions from 2006-2014, and. She currently teaches at SUNY Oneonta and Hartwick College.
Back Up Plan
In the event that we are unable to cast VANYA and SONYA and MASHA and SPIKE, the back-up choice will be “DUETS: A comedy in four acts” by Peter Quilter which is billed as an examination of the chaotic world of love, relationships and why the “grass is never greener.”
REHEARSALS:
Flexible rehearsal dates, times and locations will be arranged after casting.
TECH & DRESS REHEARSALS: Will be scheduled between May 6 – 12
The Catskill Community Players present the romantic comedy, “Almost, Maine”, by John Cariani, at the Wieting Theater in Worcester, on November 13th & 14th 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 15th 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 13th-15th Show by calling the Worcester Inn at 607-397-8500.
~ Menu ~
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.
“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.