Chester Theatre Group

Ruth Ross over at NJ Arts Maven has given our current production of Fiction a rave review.

Some choice paragraphs:

It is ironic that a play about writing fiction—that is, made-up, invented stories—should ring so true, but that’s what happens at the Chester Theatre Group’s Fiction by Stephen Dietz. Directed by Jeff Knapp and featuring just three actors, this production possesses an intimacy and a freshness so natural and convincing that it feels like we’re watching real life unfold before our very eyes.

[...]

The Chester Theatre Group was nominated for a rash of Perry Awards in 2010 (eleven, I believe), and it’s clear that this production should nail a few more this year. Fiction is a thought-provoking play about the lies we tell ourselves, the lies we tell each other and, in the case of professional authors, the lies that get turned into best-selling novels. It is also a play about marriage, trust and truthfulness, and just how much of the latter we are obligated to share with our spouse/partner. Perhaps some things are best left hidden.

Read the full review here.

The 2010 Perry Award Nominations were announced today, and CTG was honored with 11 nominations for our productions of Nine, Hound of the Baskervilles and Shirley Valentine.  The awards dinner will be held on September 19, 2010 at the DoubleTree Hotel in Somerset.

The full list of nominees can be found at the NJACT site.

Our honors:

OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN FOR A PLAY

Ellen Fraker-Glasscock, Hound of the Baskervilles

OUTSTANDING SOUND DESIGN

Jeff Fiorello/Cliff Parish, NINE
Steve Gale,THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES

OUTSTANDING PROPERTIES

Peg Hill, SHIRLEY VALENTINE

OUTSTANDING SCENIC DESIGN OF A PLAY

Jeff Jackson,  SHIRLEY VALENTINE

Nanette Ratti,  THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES

OUTSTANDING SCENIC DESIGN OF A MUSICAL

Mark Happel, NINE

OUTSTANDING DIRECTION OF A PLAY

Cindy Alexander, SHIRLEY VALENTINE

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION OF  A PLAY

Ellen Fraker-Glasscock, Producer / Chris Mortenson Director,  THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A PLAY

Gloria Lamoureux, SHIRLEY VALENTINE

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL

Tina Kaye, NINE

We’re very excited to announce our 2010-2011 season.

Mainstage Productions

Fiction

by Steven Dietz, Directed by Jeff Knapp

Auditions: Aug 8 and 10, 2010
Performances: Oct 8-23, 2010

Linda and Michael are successful writers, a happily married couple who thrive on the give and take of their unusually honest and candid relationship. But when they decide to share their diaries with one another, the boundaries between past, present, fact, fiction, trust and betrayal begin to break down.  No life, as it turns out, is an open book.

Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks

by Richard Alfieri, Directed by Roseann Ruggiero

Auditions: September 26 & 28, 2010
Performances: Nov 19 – Dec 5, 2010

When a formidable retiree hires an acerbic dance instructor, antagonism and mistrust give way to civility, compatability, compassion and loyalty as they swing, tango, foxtrot and cha-cha together.

Urinetown

Music by Mark Hollmann, Lyrcs by Mark Hollman and Greg Kotis, Book by Greg Kotis; Directed by Clifford Parrish

Auditions: December 5 & 8, 2010
Performances: Feb 25-Mar 20, 2011

Don’t let the title keep you away from this hilatious musical comedy that satirizes the legal system, capitalism, social irresponsibility, populism, bureaucracy, corporate mismanagement and municipal politics (just to name a few!) The unconventional plotline may surprise you, but the singing, dancing,  jokes and pokes will have you laughing in the aisles and humming the whole ride home!

Mauritius

by Theresa Rebek, Directed by JayMills

Auditions: March 6 & 8, 2011
Performances: May 6-21, 2011

After their mother’s death, two estranged helf-sisters discover a book of rare stamps that may include the holy grail of stamp collecting.  Philately proves to be more intriguing and far riskier than one might thing, as high-stakes collectors enter their world intent on making the rare find their own.

Grey Gardens

Music by Scott Frankel, Lyrics by Michael Korie, Book by Doug Wright; Directed by Mark Happel & Jeffrey Fiorello

Auditions: February 2011
Performances: July 1-24, 2011

The cult-classic turned smash Broadway musical recounts the story of the Bouvier Beales, the eccentric aunt and cousin of Jackie Kennedy Onassis — oncebrght names on the social register who became East Hampton’s most notorious recluses.

Special Events

Comedy Workshop

Saturday mornings TBA, 9:30 AM – Noon

Kate Lyn Reiter brings back her Comedy Workshoip for Adults and the Comically Curious for a series of Saturdays.

An Evening of One-Acts

Performances: September 24-26, 2010

The Chester Theatre Group is proud to present two one-act comedies on September 24, 25 and 26 at the Black River Playhouse. 

Christopher Durang’s THE ACTOR’S NIGHTMARE, directed by Stephen Catron, will be familar to anyone who’s involved in theatre — you know the dream:  you find yourself on-stage, ready to perform, only you don’t know what the play is – you’ve never rehearsed  - you don’t know the plot, let alone the lines!   George finds himself on stage, uncertain of where he is or how he got there – suddenly he’s thrust on stage, it’s Hamlet?!? – a glamorous actress appears to be doing Private Lives by Noel Coward?!?  Beckett’s Endgame? A Man For All Seasons?!? This hilarious spoof is a classic!

Next up is Jonathan Rand’s CHECK, PLEASE, directed by Jeff Jackson. Dating can be hard. Especially when your date happens to be a schizophrenic, a bigamist, or a mime. CHECK, PLEASE follows a series of blind dinner dates that couldn’t get any worse—until they do. Could there possibly be a light at the end of the tunnel?

Ruth Ross over at NJ Arts Maven has written a very flattering review of our annual (except when its not) “Songs of a Summer Night”.  A brief excerpt:

 What do you get when you “marry” 25 glorious voices—each of them soloist quality—and terrific musical arrangements and accompaniment? Well, you get Songs of a Summer Night at the Chester Theatre Group’s Black River Playhouse. But don’t wait to get tickets; this blockbuster of a musical evening runs only through Sunday, July 25, and you’ll be sorry if you miss it.

[...]

All in all, Songs of a Summer Night is a show to lift your spirits, spirits that might be drooping under the summer heat and humidity outside. This refreshing show (performed in an air-conditioned theater, to boot) is not-to-be-missed!

Thanks, Ruth!

Songs of a Summer Night runs one more weekend, closing this coming Sunday.  Tickets are $20 and reservations (strongly recommended!) can be made by calling 908.879.7304.

See you there!

Exciting news! Composer Jeffrey Stock is joining us at today’s 2PM performance of our production of his musical “Triumph of Love!”

See you there!

Mini interview with Mr. Stock courtesy of William Westhoven’s Jersey Stages blog:

http://blogs.dailyrecord.com/jerseystages/2010/05/15/composer-to-catch-his-show-in-chester/

(Photo courtesy of Rich Kowalski.)