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