LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth |
HTP Summer Season Promises All New Hits |
Henlopen Theater Project's fifth summer season of two plays and a musical will be new and exciting. Under the direction of new artistic director Ari Laura Kreith of New York and Rehoboth Beach, the season begins with Songs for a New World a new musical revue by Tony-award winning composer Jason Robert Brown and starring four singers from the New York stage. Out of Mind, by critically acclaimed playwright, Jenny Lyn Bader, is an evening of short plays by some of the most exciting new writers in American theater. The Guys is the poignant story of a New York fireman and a reporter who helps him pay tribute to fallen comrades he lost in 9/11. It was written by Anne Nelson of her own personal experience and will be directed by Randy White of New York.
"I'm thrilled to be working on such great material with such talented actors," said Ms. Kreith, "And I am excited to be bringing these projects to HTP." In addition, HTP's New Works/New Voices presents An Evening of New American Musical Theater co-sponsored by Coastal Concerts and featuring alumni of the Graduate Musical Theater Writing Program, Tisch School of the Arts, New York University. "This was so well received last year," said HTP Chairman Roo Brown, "that Coastal Concerts and HTP didn't hesitate to bring it back and we hope to have even greater audiences this year." The show will be Monday, July 21 at 8 p.m. Rehearsals are going on now in New York for the season. "It has been a glorious process, the actors are extraordinary," said Ms. Kreith, "There's a fabulous spirit of ensemble and sense of adventure as we delve into these new plays and songs." In Songs for a New World, Jason Brown, who wrote the music for Parade, has written songs for sixteen diverse worlds from Betsy Ross to broken hearts, from the deck of a Spanish sailing ship to a Bronx basketball court which are performed by Stuart Ambrose, Nora Eddie, Kevin Quinn and Gwendolyn Walker. Out of Mind, a new play by Ms. Bader, is an evening of short plays filled with laughter and occasional heartbreak. The New Yorker reviewed Ms. Bader's play None of the Above, as a snappy new comedy played with wit and candor by the two characters. In this new play the ensemble includes David Alan Basche and Alysia Reiner. The Guys author Anne Nelson had never written a play. As a veteran war correspondent and Columbia University journalism professor her experience was to address issues with hard news. That is until September 11 when as a New Yorker she joined the rest of the world struggling to come to terms with the tragedy. A friend of her sisters called to ask if she might help a New York City fire captain write eulogies for eight fallen comradesa process that proved painfully emotional, and in the end a life-affirming experience for both. "The result is a moving theater experience that articulates the emotions and longings many people have faced since the horror of Sept. 11," wrote Jo Kadlecek of the Columbia News. "I'm amazed at what each individual brings to the process," said Ms. Kreith, "as we explore the dramatic depths of Jason Brown's music and comedic heights of Jenny Lyn Bader's language. I also look forward to experiencing the direction of Randy White, who is one of my favorite theater directors." Songs for a New World is July 3, 5, 10 and 12 at 8 p.m. and July 6 at 7 p.m., Out of Mind is on July 17, 19, 24 and 26 at 8 p.m. and July 20 at 7 p.m., and The Guys will be July 31 and 31 and August 1 and 2 at 8 p.m. All performances are in the Little Theater at Cape Henlopen High School. Tickets are $75 for a subscription and $30 for individual performances. Call HTP at 302-226-4103. |
LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 13, No. 8, June 27, 2003 |