News stories tagged with "theatre"

(07/13/11) A North Country teen spent most of his summer vacation working on an original musical. Road to Dannemora debuts at Keene Central School on Saturday night. 16-year-old Sam Balzac wrote the music and worked with his mother, Kathy Recchia, on the lyrics. They're both long time members of the Book and Blanket Players, a community theater group in Jay. Todd Moe spoke with Sam and Kathy about the process of creating a musical.

"The Road to Dannemora" will be performed at the Keene Central School Auditorium this Saturday night, 7pm. Free admission. Donations Accepted.

(03/23/11) Final rehearsals are underway this week for SUNY Potsdam's spring theater production of Sarah Ruhl's "Passion Play." Susan Neal is directing the ensemble of 11 students, and she's being helped by her student dramaturg.

That's the "go to" person for the director, actors and tech crews. So, what exactly does the dramaturg do? Todd Moe posed that question for today's "Heard Up North."

(07/16/10) A new comedy, written by an Ontario playwright, is part of the lineup at the St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival this summer -- outdoor theater along the river. John Lazarus wrote Trouble on Dibble Street. It was commissioned by the festival to help celebrate Prescott's bicentennial this year. Now in its eighth season, the St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival is presenting Trouble on Dibble Street and Macbeth as its two mainstage shows. Lazarus told Todd Moe that his play is loosely based on Shakespeare's The Merry Wives of Windsor.

(10/24/08) When we think of clowns, most of us imagine wild makeup, rainbow wigs and silly antics. But there's also a serious, sincere side to clowning. Miguel Cortazar, a native of the Basque Country in Spain, has been creating and performing solo works as a clown, mine and actor for over 20 years. He's performed throughout Europe and Mexico and his work is acclaimed for its poignant, comedic quality. Todd Moe has this profile.

(08/25/08) Tony Award winner Christopher Plummer and Nikki M. James star in the Stratford Festival's "Caesar and Cleopatra." Our resident theatre critic Connie Meng has just returned from her annual whirlwind visit to Stratford, Ontario and told Todd Moe all about it.

(07/30/08) The classic musical, "My Fair Lady", is the summer Community Performance Series musical this week in Potsdam. Todd Moe has a preview.

(07/24/08) Pendragon Theatre in Saranac Lake has opened their production of Welcome Home, Jenny Sutter. It runs in repertory through the end of August. Resident theatre critic Connie Meng was at the opening night and has this review. more

(07/17/08) The Grasse River Players' summer musical, the fairytale "Beauty and the Beast" opens at Canton High School tonight. Todd Moe talks with co-directors Elaine Kuracina and Barbara Burdick about their community theatre production. Tickets: 315-379-9709

(07/15/08) Pendragon Theatre in Saranac Lake offers a new play this summer that explores war, recovery, acceptance and hope. "Welcome Home Jenny Sutter" opens next Tuesday night and continues through the end of August. Jenny Sutter is home from Iraq. She's a 30-year-old Marine, minus her lower right leg, with a mind filled with horrific memories. The play's been called a tender, funny and important story of a female veteran struggling to return to civilian life. Todd Moe talks with director Anita Montgomery and Fiona Christie, who portrays Jenny Sutter.

(07/09/08) Shakespeare plays are becoming a summer ritual in an Ontario river community. This year marks the sixth season of the St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival in Prescott. It's streets have come alive with the sights and sounds of the festival, including quotes from this summer's productions on shop windows and a sculpture of William Shakespeare by a local artist. As You Like It and The Merchant of Venice open this weekend. Todd Moe spoke with artistic director Ian Farthing about another season of Shakespeare on the river.