Chester Theatre Group

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

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!

CORRECTION: The opening night date is July 16, not July 17.

It’s back by popular demand!

Our popular  musical evening, Songs for a Summer Night, will include choral arrangements and group performances from such shows as Les Miserables, Porgy & Bess, Fiddler on The Roof, A New Brain and Songs of a New World and songs by George & Ira Gershwin, David Shire and Frank Loesser, all under the skilled direction of Perry Award winning musical director, Clifford Parrish.

The talented group of 26 performers includes: Karen Cantor, D’ani Dopson, Jeff Dopson, Jeffrey Fiorello, Michael Foley, Ellen Fraker-Glasscock, Barbara Haag, Mark Happel, Eric Harper, Lamont Hill, Robert Jacobson, Julie Jacoby, Scott Jacoby, Tina Kaye, Jodi Maloy, Rich Maloy, Claudia Metz, Alice Regan-Moynahan, Roseann Ruggiero, Christina Ryan, Stuart Scheer, Robert Stone, Ericka Traugh, Roxanna Wagner, Julie Waldman-Stiel, and Dave Villepique.

Performances are scheduled for Fridays and Saturdays, July 16, 17, 23, 24 at 8pm and on Sundays July 18 and 25 at 2pm.  Tickets are $20.00.

For reservations please call 908-879-7304.

Ruth Ross of the Recorder Newspapers had so many wonderful things to say about our current production of Triumph of Love that we’re having a hard time pulling out the best bits.

Better you should just go read the whole wonderful review.

Some highlights:

“By definition, a farce is a silly play, but marry it to lush melodies gloriously sung by seven very talented actors, lots of double entendres and superb physical comedy and you have the delectable confection that is “Triumph of Love,” currently receiving a triumphant production by the Chester Theatre Group.”

“Musical director Thomas Rodgers has put together an eight-piece orchestra that makes the production seem larger and lusher than it has any right to be. Jeff Fiorello and Billy Brisley have choreographed the action and the dancing to a fare-the-well, and Mark Happel’s costumes have just the right touch of commédia del’arte outlandishness.”

“‘Triumph of Love’ caps a terrific season at Chester Theatre Group, which included “The Receptionist” and “Shirley Valentine.” So for comic hijinks and beautiful music, head on out to the Black River Playhouse on Grove Street in Chester for a triumphant “Triumph of Love.”  It’s a real winner!”

Thanks, Ruth! We couldn’t have said it better ourselves!

The second round of Musical Chairs auditions is happening tonight at 7:00.

So, put down the cerveza and join us… sing a song, read a little and then you can go back out for Cinco de Mayo… :-)