Month: June 2016

Known for their distinctive style and award-winning productions, regionally based theater ensemble to present acclaimed American playwright A.R Gurney’s thought provoking comedy, The Fourth Wall.

(Honesdale, PA) – The New Vintage Ensemble is proud to announce two theatrical productions, presented in partnership with / at The Cooperage Project in Honesdale. The 2016 season will include The Fourth Wall by A. R Gurney and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Abridged by Adam Long,Daniel Singer, and Jess Winfield.

The Fourth Wall will be performed Saturday July 9th at 8:00 pm and Sunday July 10th at 3:00 pm, all performances are being presented free (donations collected at the door). Reservations are appreciated and can be made by contacting The Cooperage Project at:

E-mail: info@thecooperageproject.org
Phone: 570.253.2020

The Fourth Wall focuses on the unique dilemma of its central character, Peggy. Peggy (played by New Vintage Ensemble member Sarah Regan) usually has taste that would make any New Yorker proud, however, she is suddenly overcome with a sense of non-connectedness and in searching for connection, she drastically redecorates her living room to resemble that of a stage set. In The Fourth Wall A.R. Gurney uses his humor and wit to work out his own love affair with theatre. In our own search for connection, he reminds us that we need to look within and connect with ourselves first before connecting with the outside world. What our heart wants versus what the head tells us is practical.

Kimmie Leff, director of this production has been a member of the New Vintage Ensemble since its inception in 2013 and has performed in such NVE projects as Pride & Prejudice, RXV, Hamlet and directed the dark holiday-themed comedy, The Eight:Reindeer Monologues.

To keep up to date with upcoming performance announcements and future New Vintage Ensemble programming follow them on Facebook, Twitter, or online at newvintageensemble.com.

SUMMARY:
THE FOURTH WALL
Presented by the New Vintage Ensemble & The Cooperage Project
Directed by Kimmie Leff*
Written by A .R Gurney
Performed by Sarah Regan, Sam Falbo, Maggie O’Brien, & Tim McDermott*
The Cooperage, 1030 Main St, Honesdale, PA 18431
Saturday July 9th (8:00 pm) and Sunday July 10th (3:00 p.m.)
Admission is a free-will donation towards The Cooperage and its programming.

*indicates ensemble member

ABOUT THE NEW VINTAGE ENSEMBLE
Founded in 2013, the New Vintage Ensemble is a collective of actors from Northeastern Pennsylvania dedicated to producing innovative and interactive theater while helping the art community of the greater Scranton region thrive. Their distinctive style and passion for engaging audiences has resulted in award-winning and internationally-recognized productions as well as regional premieres of original works. For more information, visit NewVintageEnsemble.com.

ABOUT THE COOPERAGE
The Cooperage Project is a 501c3 not-for-profit organization that seeks to build community through performance events and learning opportunities. For more information on The Cooperage Project, visit TheCooperageProject.org.

Known for their distinctive style and award-winning productions, local theater ensemble to present an original sketch show in the style of “Saturday Night Live” in partnership with the Scranton Cultural Center.

(Scranton, PA) – The New Vintage Ensemble is proud to announce its upcoming production of an original sketch show, “The Trouble with Sketch Shows”, in partnership with the Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple. Performances will run Friday, June 24 at 8:00 p.m. and 10:00 pm., and Saturday, June 25 at 8:00 p.m. in the Junior Ballroom at the Scranton Cultural Center. Tickets are $10 and can be reserved online at: https://newvintageensemble.com

Conor O’Brien, co-founder and Executive Director of the Scranton Fringe Festival, will direct a cast of more than a dozen actors as they bring to life sketches written by local playwrights, comedians, and New Vintage Ensemble members. “The creation of this show has been a unique challenge but one that I and the entire writing team found really exciting” said O’Brien. “It was a combination of total collaboration and independent work, all of which though we supported each other through”.

Audiences can expect to see a variety of scenes performed, including a play on a local TV classic, parodies of news station talkbacks, award dinner speeches gone off the rails, darkly funny monologues, a TMI spelling bee moment, and a painfully awkward “guess who’s coming to dinner” moment. And, being that it’s an election year, audiences will also be treated to a few laughs of the political variety.

“As the signature goal for all New Vintage Ensemble projects is to somehow reinvent the familiar, we crafted the overall show to challenge not just ourselves as artists – but our audiences, while still keeping things accessible” noted O’Brien.

This production is the second collaboration of the New Vintage Ensemble with the Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple. In years past, the local theater company has performed in numerous venues throughout the region, including in churches, pubs, restaurants, and found spaces.

After presenting a successful run of William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” in January to regional acclaim, the New Vintage Ensemble was excited to continue working with the Scranton Cultural Center to bring future productions to life. “We’re so thrilled to be working again with the Scranton Cultural Center,” said Mandy Pennington, ensemble member and supervising producer for “The Trouble With Sketch Shows”. “We couldn’t wait to continue our partnership after January’s run of ‘Hamlet’. They truly are a world-class team to collaborate with.”

To keep up to date with upcoming performance announcements and future New Vintage Ensemble shows at the Scranton Cultural Center, follow them on Facebook, Twitter, or online at newvintageensemble.com.

SUMMARY:

• THE TROUBLE WITH SKETCH SHOWS
• Presented by the New Vintage Ensemble & The Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple
• Directed by Conor O’Brien
• Written by Conor O’Brien, Simone Daniel, Timothy McDermott, Matt Serniak, Sarah Regan and Kathleen Barrett
• Junior Ballroom at the Scranton Cultural Center, 420 N. Washington Ave., Scranton, PA
• June 24 (8:00 p.m. & 10:00 p.m.) and June 25 (8:00 p.m.)
• Tickets are $10 and are available online at newvintagenensemble.com. Tickets will also be available at the door for purchase.

ABOUT THE NEW VINTAGE ENSEMBLE

Founded in 2013, the New Vintage Ensemble is a collective of actors from Northeastern Pennsylvania dedicated to producing innovative and interactive theater while helping the art community of the Scranton region thrive. Their distinctive style and passion for engaging audiences has resulted in award-winning and internationally-recognized productions as well as regional premieres of original works. For more information, visit newvintageensemble.com.

ABOUT THE SCRANTON CULTURAL CENTERThe Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple (SCCMT) is a hub for cultural events, regional performances, and community engagement for all of Northeastern Pennsylvania. It plays host to national tours of Broadway musicals and concerts, as well as national and regional artists. Learn more at scrantonculturalcenter.org