Margreta Stage News

World Premiere of Lary Bloom’s play Wild Black Yonder –A sell-out success!

Margreta Stage’s production of Wild Black Yonder at The Kate in Old Saybrook played to sell out crowds for its entire run. The much anticipated play by Lary Bloom placed audiences in a jungle setting complete with bamboo and the sounds of helicopters and crickets.

The songs of the 60’s and 70’s played on their memories as they watched the story of Janet, an air force widow stuck in the past, unfold on the set created by legendary Broadway and Balanchine designer David Hays. Cast members included Margreta’s own Wil Bradford, Ira Sakolsky, Joell A. Jacob, Alva Greenberg, stage newcomer Janet Peckinpaugh and the company’s newest member from NYC, Kevin Michael Johnson. Jeanie Rapp, who directed the cast to standing ovations said of the production, “this play has taken Margreta Stage to new heights – we grew our audience from the small town theater goer to across the state from as far away as Fairfield to Groton, and our company continues to gather new members in both the acting and technical sides…we are excited at the prospects for the future of this company.” To read more about the play and see a slide show of the opening night reception go to www.margretastage.org.

Margreta Stage Actor Party

Our Next Actor Party will be held on Monday, December 14^th at 6:30 pm.  It will be held at The Carriage House in back of the Deep River Historical Society 245 Main Street in Deep River, CT. Mark it on your calendar and save the date to celebrate the holidays with friends and fellow company members.  We’ll definitely eat, drink and be merry…so bring your favorite holiday tidbits to pass and a favorite piece of theater to share. Holiday poems and stories are welcome, but our festive Actor Party tradition isn’t limited to the season so please bring whatever you like…no holds barred…it’s a party! Remember everyone is welcome and we always encourage new theater artists to get involved in our growing company. If you’re new to the company, the Actor Party is a place where we gather and share short pieces of theater such as monologues and scenes. If you have a short piece you’d like to direct, or a monologue or scene you’d like to prepare, please let us know by emailing us:  office@margretastage.org

Company News – New E-Mail Address:

You can now e-mail us directly:  office@margretastage.org

Margreta Stage Studio Announces 2010 Winter/Spring Classes

Acting Winter Workshop for Teenagers (Ages 13 -17)

This three-day acting workshop is taught by Ed Wilhelms. It is designed for both beginners and experienced actors with a focus on bringing truthfulness and deeper understanding to the work of a young actor. Teenagers will learn the basic requirements of acting technique.

The three-day workshop runs:

Monday, February 15 - Wednesday, February 17

2:00 pm - 4:30pm in Old Saybrook

Cost:   $115

Acting Class for Adults. 

Designed for actors at all levels. Taught by MSC Artistic Director, Jeanie Rapp, this six week workshop explores text and spontaneity through scene study and acting exercises. Working with a partner in scenes from plays is the actor’s drawing board – beginners build the basics of technique and experienced actors build on and improve their skills. Jeanie’s acting exercises are fun and freeing and help the actor stay grounded in his body and connected to his voice.  

 This six-week workshop will be held:

 March 1st - April 5 in Essex

 Monday evenings from 6:30pm to 9:00pm.

 Cost:   $170. 

For all inquiries please call (860) 767-8943 or email office@margretastage.org

Company Members at Work

Amy Forbes just finished a successful run in the musical Jerry’s Girls at the Ivoryton Playhouse.  

Ira Sakolsky of Riverway Studio along with the Essex Steam Train present the season’s popular North Pole Express.  Elijah Manning and Beth Avery are also in the cast.  Go to valley.railroad@snet.net for tickets and information.

Please continue to send us any news so we can share your work and help promote local theater projects.

I look forward to seeing you soon,

Jeanie Rapp

Audition Notice

Margreta Stage Company of Essex Connecticut is holding auditions for the world premiere production of Wild Black Yonder a new play by local author and playwright Lary Bloom. This will be a full production presented at “The Kate” (The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center) in Old Saybrook November 12^th through the 15^th.

Auditions for both Equity and non-Equity performers will be held on Wednesday Aug. 19 and Thursday Aug. 20 from 6 to 9 PM at the Margreta Stage Studio in Essex Connecticut. Equity members will be on a Guest Artist contract. Non-Equity will be paid a small stipend.

The auditions will be by appointment only.  Interested parties should call the Margreta Stage office at 860-767-8943 to schedule an appointment.  Please prepare a two minute dramatic monologue and have available a resume and head shot.

Wild Black Yonder takes place today in California.

Auditions will be for the following roles:

Lenny – Mid-60’s, Jewish, career newspaper reporter and struggling writer from Cleveland. Also a Vietnam veteran attempting to find meaning from that war in a new book of non-fiction featuring Janet.

Janet – 60ish, Vietnam War widow who has yet to remarry. At one time a beauty, less so now. Grew up in Ohio, and converted to Judaism to marry Adam. Became a lawyer after her husband went MIA. Now lives in California with Edgar, and generally avoids life as best she can.  After 40 years, she still believes her husband is alive.

Edgar – 60ish, college professor of history, wine connoisseur, lives with Janet and has proposed marriage to her several times, only to be turned down.  

Adam – 20’s, Janet’s husband that we see in flash backs. Outgoing, Jewish, Air Force Officer, jet fighter navigator in Vietnam flying secret missions. We see Adam as he records cassette tapes as letters to his wife in the US.

Michelle – 20’s, Vietnamese-American, but total California girl. She is a waitress at a sushi fusion restaurant to put herself through law school. She is smart and witty. Her parents were refugees to the US, but they never talk about the past. Michelle waits on Lenny in the restaurant, and Lenny can tell she is of Vietnamese descent. He questions her as part of his research.

TBD Rehearsal schedule will begin on September 28^th.

Margreta Stage Company presents

Wild Black Yonder
A new play by Lary Bloom

Directed by
Jeanie Rapp

November 12, 13, 14 at 8:00 P.M.
At “The Kate” in Old Saybrook

Tickets $25 at The Kate Box Office 860-510-0453

www.KatharineHepburnTheater.org
www.MargretaStage.org

Pre-show preparations by Director, Peter Walker and production team, Judith Shea and Todd Little.

A packed house at The Deep River Town Hall Theater.

Cast onstage applauding Director, Peter Walker.

Janet Peckinpaugh, Narrator of the evening's performance and audience member Tom Perry enjoying themselves at the reception following the reading.