Chester Theatre Group

CTG’s production of The Baker’s Wife won Best Production of a Musical and Oustanding Lighting Design of a Musical at last night’s Perry Awards held at the Doubletree Hotel in Somerset.

CTG’s Best Musical award is their second in as many years.  Along with The Baker’s Wife, CTG’s production of 1776 also picked up two awards.

Out of 17 nominations, CTG picked up awards for:

• Outstanding Lighting Design for a Musical – Ellen Fraker Glasscock – THE BAKER’S WIFE
• Outstanding Direction of a Musical – Mark Happel & Cliff Parrish – 1776
• Outstanding Musical Direction – Cliff Parrish – 1776
• Outstanding Production of a Musical – Ellen Fraker Glasscock – THE BAKER’S WIFE

Many congratulations to our nominees and to our winners.

Pictures from the evening.  (More will follow…)

The Chester Theatre Group will be holding auditions for “Home For The Holidays: A Musical Revue.”  This original revue is a compilation of both standard holiday music and holiday-themed musical numbers from Broadway and Off-Broadway shows and will have musical direction by Jim Horan and stage direction by Mary Saarmann.

Performance dates for the show are Friday and Saturday evenings 12/5 and 12/6 at 8:00 p.m. with a Sunday matinee on 12/7 at 2:00 p.m.

Ms. Saarmann and Mr. Horan are looking for a minimum of 8 adult singers of all voice ranges who will be singing both solo and group numbers with arrangements by Mr. Horan.

Auditions will be held on Sunday 10/5 at 2:00 pm and Tuesday 10/7 at 7:30 p.m. at the Black River Playhouse on the corner of Grove and Maple Streets in Chester, NJ.

Those auditioning are asked to bring music for either a standard holiday song or Broadway show tune in their key. An accompanist will be provided. Performers should also come prepared for a movement audition.

If you have any questions or require further information, please contact leave a message at the theater box office at 908-879-7304.

On Golden Pond by by Ernest Thompson will be presented by the Chester Theatre Group at the Black River Playhouse on October 31, 2008; weekends through November 15, 2008. Scott Hart directs.

On Golden Pond, a gentle, wry comedy of American life and ways, takes place one summer, when retired professor Norman Thayer and his wife Ethel arrive at their New England cottage on Golden Pond, just as they have done for nearly 50 years. The Thayer’s daughter Chelsea arrives at the cottage with her fiance Bill Ray and Billy, his 13 year-old son from a previous marriage.

Chelsea and Bill plan for Billy to stay at Golden Pond while they head for a summer in Europe. The brusque, hypochondriac Norman and the irritating Billy are soon at odds – much the same as father and daughter have always been. But despite his summer peace being shattered, the two come to a better understanding of one another over the time they are together, while Chelsea also tries to come to terms with his mortality. Time, they know, is now against them, but the years have been good and perhaps another summer on Golden Pond still awaits.

Although originally a very successful play on Broadway, it is more famous as the film in which Henry Fonda, then 75, took his final bow. His performance, along with his co-star Katherine Hepburn won wide critical acclaim, resulting in them both picking up Oscars for Best Actor and Actress.

A story filled with poignancy, warm humor, and wonderfully created characters, we’re proud to present On Golden Pond in its original stage setting.

On Golden Pond features the talents of:

• Rich Maloy as Norman Thayer Jr.
• Eileen Waite as Ethel Thayer
• Bob Scarpone as Charlie the mailman
• Maria Brodeur as Chelsea
• Don Gehan as Bill Ray Sr.
• Noah Befeler as Billy Ray Jr.

Performances are scheduled: 10/31, 11/1, 11/7, 11/8, 11/14 and 11/15 at 8:00 p.m.
11/2 and 11/9 at 2:00 p.m.

Tickets are $18.00 for all performances. The Chester Theatre Group offers student and senior citizen (65+) tickets of $16.00 with I.D. at all performances. Only cash or checks accepted, NO CREDIT CARDS. Our box office opens at 7:30 p.m. for evening performances which begin at 8:00 p.m. and at 1:30 p.m. for matinees which begin at 2:00 p.m. Due to the nature of our theater in the round, latecomers will be seated at the discretion of our house manager.

Reservations can be made by calling our box office at 908-879-7304.