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

 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.

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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!

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.

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!

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… :-)

Auditions will be at the Black River Playhouse located on the corners of Grove Street and Maple Avenue in Chester, NJ on Saturday May 1st at 1:00 pm and on Wednesday, May 5th at 7:00 pm. Auditioners are asked to bring music in their key, an accompanist will be provided. Readings will be from the script.

Performances dates are to be determined.  Previously published dates may not be the actual dates.

ABOUT THE STORY

Joe Preston has not had a hit in years, and is hoping his new play will revive his career. He is at the mercy of an audience consisting of two typical “matinee ladies”, a married couple who fight all the time, an anxious young man waiting for his date, an illiterate rock singer trying to impress his date with some culture, a successful business man and his culture vulture wife and three critics–one of whom hates Preston’s work and another who begged his editor not to assign him to his show because Sam, his lover who recently jilted him, is in the cast. Also unexpectedly in the audience is Joe’s beautiful ex-wife who left NY Theater to become a TV Star. This bright show is about these audience members watching opening night of a new play and the drama and comedy aren’t only happening on the stage. Each audience member has a story and the audiences at MUSICAL CHAIRS get to hear them all. The NY POST said “it is clever, it is funny, and it is original.” And VARIETY called it, “a lively, entertaining musical.” The Sam French catalog states, “MUSICAL CHAIRS has marvelous music, hysterical comedy and at least 6 showstoppers which make this a surefire winner!”

CAST BREAKDOWN

With the exception of Sallie and Stage Manager – all are featured roles

• Maddie – Producer – 40+ – mezzo/belt
• Joe Preston – playwright – 35-50 – baritone
• Valerie Brooks – Joe’s ex-wife/tv star – 35-45 – mezzo/belt
• Roberta – matinee Lady #1 – 50+ – mezzo/belt
• Millie – matinee Lady #2 – 50+ – mezzo/belt
• Lillian – culture vulture wife – 40-60 – belt
• Harold – successful businessman – 40-60 – baritone
• Gary – concerned husband – 30-45 – tenor
• Janet – distracted wife – 30-45 – mezzo
• Brad – rock singer with big ego and small intellect– 20s – rock tenor
• Miranda – quirky insecure girl on first date with Brad – 20s – comedic mezzo
• Brown Suit – curmudgeonly old school theater critic -30+ – baritone – dancer
• Blue Suit – positive theater critic – 30+ – tenor – dancer
• Tuxedo –critic who had a personal relationship with actor in show – 30+ – bari/tenor – dancer
• Boyfriend – young guy waiting for new girlfriend to meet him at theater – 20s – baritone
• Sallie – new girlfriend who is late to show – 20s – non-singing role
• Stage Manager – non-singing role – male or female any age

For any questions regarding auditions, please contact the director at ChpMM@aol.com .

Performances of the show are scheduled at 8pm on Friday and Saturday evenings 4/30, 5/1, 5/7, 5/8, 5/14, 5/15, 5/21, 5/22 with matinees on Sundays, 5/16 and 5/23 at 2:00p.m.  Tickets are $24.00 with a Student (under 18) and Senior (65+) discount of $2.00 at all performances.

About the Show:

Love can make a woman do strange things.  Like lie about her past.  Or give up her career for the man she loves.  Or throw off her princessly raiment and disguise herself as a young man in order to infiltrate the guarded “men-only” palace compound of an exiled prince she’s admired from afar, who is secretly plotting to murder her and usurp her throne.  Such is the state of things in this hilarious, bawdy, risque, tongue-in-cheek, double-entendre filled, anachronistic adaptation of the classic Marivaux comedy, “Triumph of Love.”

Cast:

• Agis – Eric Harper of Edison
• Hesione – Julie Waldman-Stiel of West Orange
• Harlequin – Chris Mortenson of Oldwick
• Dimas – Billy Brisley of Whippany
• Hermocrates – Michael J. Foley of Hopatcong
• Princess Leonide – Kathleen Campbell Jackson of Far Hills
• Corine – Tina Kaye of Brick

The theater is located at the corners of Grove Street and Maple Avenue in Chester, New Jersey.   For reservations please call the box office at 908-879-7304.  For directions or additional information about the theatre, please visit our website at www.chestertheatregroup.org

Merriam-Webster Dictionary may define tour de force as “a feat or display of strength, skill or ingenuity,” but if you want to see a tour de force in the flesh, go on out to the Black River Playhouse in Chester where Gloria Lamoureaux stars as Shirley Valentine in the acclaimed Chester Theatre Group’s winter production of Willy Russell’s bittersweet comedy of the same name.

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Gloria Lamoureaux … becomes Shirley Valentine, making Willy Russell’s eponymous heroine jump from the page to the stage in a convincing and natural manner. As a force to be reckoned with, Lamoureaux’s performance is a true tour de force! Her character’s bravado, her bravery, earned her a well-deserved brava from the entire audience (along with a standing ovation) at the end of the play. Add your applause; you’ll be glad you did.

You can read the full review at the Recorder Newspapers site.

Our production of “Shirley Valentine”, a comedy by Willy Russell (Blood Brothers and Educating Rita) opens March 6 and runs until the 21st.

We’ve reconfigured our theatre for this production, so our seating capacity is diminished.  Please make sure you reserve your tickets early!

Public performances are on March 6, 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, and 21. the shows on the 14th and the 21st are matinees.  Friday and Saturday shows start at 8 pm, Sunday matinees start at 2 pm.  Due to the nature of the piece and the layout of the theatre, latecomers may not be able to be seated.

The piece, directed by Cindy Alexander, features Gloria Lamoureux as Shirley Valentine.

Ticket are $18,  Students and seniors discounts on Friday and Sunday performances $16. The CTG’s Black River Playhouse is located at the corner of Grove and Maple Streets in the borough of Chester.  Call 908-879-7304 for reservations.

About the show:

Inside Mrs. Joe Bradshaw is the former Shirley Valentine longing to get out. Her self- confidence badly shattered by school, marriage and life, she is reduced to talking to the kitchen wall whilst preparing her husband’s evening meal – to be on the table as he opens the front door every night.  As she sips a glass of wine, she dreams of drinking in a country where the grape is grown.  Her feminist friend offers her a holiday in Greece and, with great trepidation and a lot of forward planning; Shirley seizes the opportunity.  In Greece she encounters a totally different lifestyle, breaking out of the mold cast for her by society.