New Vintage Ensemble

In 2018, the New Vintage Ensemble production of Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town” made its debut
at the Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple to rave audience reviews. This fall, the
ensemble will return to the stage with a revival of the American theatre classic in its signature
style of reinvention.

(Scranton, PA) – An American theatre classic will take the stage during this year’s Scranton
Fringe Festival.

New Vintage Ensemble will present a revival of its 2018 production of “Our Town” by Thornton
Wilder, by special arrangement with Samuel French. Performances will run Thursday, October 3
through Sunday, October 6 at the Scranton Cultural Center’s Shopland Hall.

“We originally performed ‘Our Town’ last year in celebration of the play’s 80th anniversary,” said
ensemble member Mandy Pennington, who will also be joining the cast as Simon Stimson. “It
was such a beautiful run and we received great feedback from audiences. The Scranton Fringe
Festival is the perfect place to revive our unique take on this classic.”

The Pulitzer Prize-winning play is perhaps one of the most well-known works of American
drama and is a staple in English classrooms around the country. When the ensemble explored
possibilities for submitting to this year’s Scranton Fringe Festival, they knew they wanted to
bring back their reinvention of the familiar work.

“We’ve created a Grover’s Corners like you’ve never seen before, so it’s still very much in the
spirit of Fringe” said Pennington.

New Vintage Ensemble is well-known throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania for reinventing
classic works with its signature production style, taking on acclaimed adaptations of William
Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” and Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice”. It’s also been an active
participant in Scranton Fringe since the festival’s start in 2015, staging a variety of original
works from local playwrights and ensemble members.

Director Conor O’Brien, who also directed the 2018 production and is the co-founder and
Executive Director of Scranton Fringe, notes that “It has been a goal of the ensemble for quite
some time to restage one of its larger works and I am so grateful that we are accomplishing this
with Our Town, an incredibly lovely work that I think will appeal to fans of the classic as well as
those unfamiliar with its charms”.

Audiences can expect a dynamic production that turns the “Our Town” you experienced in the
classroom into something completely new. Reviews of the 2018 production called it “powerful”,
“poignant”, and “beautifully-acted.”

Tickets are now on sale at ScrantonFringe.org. For more information about the production, find
the New Vintage Ensemble on Facebook, Twitter, or online at newvintageensemble.com.

SUMMARY:
● OUR TOWN
● Written by Thornton Wilder
● Presented by the New Vintage Ensemble
● Directed by Conor Kelly O’Brien
● WHERE: Shopland Hall in the Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple, 420 N.
Washington Ave., Scranton, PA
● WHEN: Thursday, October 3 at 7:30 p.m. , Friday, October 4 at 8:00 p.m., Saturday,
October 5 at 3:00 p.m. and Sunday, October 6 at 3:00 p.m.
● TICKETS: Tickets are $10 and are available online through ScrantonFringe.org or
NewVintageEnsemble.com. Tickets may also be purchased at the door. All those
attending must have a ticket as well as a 2019 Scranton Fringe button.

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.

Known for their distinctive style and award-winning productions, regionally-based theater ensemble to present a new play “LIGHT & SOUND” in partnership with The Cooperage Project.

(Honesdale, PA) – The New Vintage Ensemble is proud to announce an upcoming production presented in partnership with The Cooperage Project in Honesdale.

LIGHT & SOUND created and performed by Conor Kelly O’Brien and Daniel Amedee will be presented Friday November 30^th at 8:00 pm and Saturday December 1^st at 8:00 pm

Originally premiered at the 2018 Scranton Fringe Festival, this original hybrid of live music and theatrical performance tells the story of a father and son taking a long delayed road trip while dealing with the fathers late stage dementia. Equally heartwarming and haunting, LIGHT & SOUND combines live music, theatrical staging and digital projection to craft a unique experience for its audiences.

Co-created and starring New Orleans musician Daniel Amedee and New Vintage Ensemble member Conor Kelly O’Brien, this production is the final installment of the ensembles 2018 programming and marks their third season in a partnership between the Scranton-based ensemble and Honesdale-based non-profit. Daniel Amedee has been touring full time since 2012 and has performed all over the US, Canada, Ireland, and England. He has been fortunate enough to work with industry notables such as Noel Hogan (The Cranberries), Pat Spurgeon (Rogue Wave), and Sylvain Carton (Beats Antique) to name a few.

“We’re thrilled to offer theater at The Cooperage as part of our programming,” said Ryanne Jennings, Executive Director of The Cooperage Project. “The New Vintage Ensemble is an amazing group of talented individuals and this production is one you won’t want to miss!”

Suggested donation: $10 advance, $15 at the door to support The Cooperage Project’s continued educational programming. To reserve tickets, contact The Cooperage Project by email at info@thecooperageproject.org or by phone at 570-253-2020.

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:

• LIGHT & SOUND, co-created / starring Conor Kelly O’Brien* and Daniel Amedee
• Friday, November 30^th  and Saturday, December 1^st at 8:00 pm  
• The Cooperage, 1030 Main St, Honesdale, PA 18431
• Suggested donation: $10 advance, $12 at the door
• Cooperage Project permits BYOB (must be 21+ with valid photo ID)
• Reserve tickets by email at info@thecooperageproject.org or by phone at 570-253-2020.                                                                   

*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 PROJECT

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.

The New Vintage Ensemble makes its return to the Scranton Fringe Festival with an interactive, immersive, and so-freaking-weird-it’s-amazing Irish wake.

(Scranton, PA) – Theatre and death have a lot in common. They bring us together, make us laugh, make us cry, and remind us of what it is to be human. The New Vintage Ensemble in collaboration with Gaslight Theater Company will debut an original piece at the 2018 Scranton Fringe Festival that will marry death and theater with hilarious results.

“My Condolences” is the immersive, interactive, and so-freaking-weird-it’s-amazing Irish wake of Andrew Houlihan. While audiences won’t meet Andrew in person, they will be encouraged to remember the man he was while meeting those nearest and dearest to him. Friends, family members, and even complete strangers come together to grieve his loss, resulting in breathtaking moments: some from too much laughter, others from being reminded that life is too short.

“Death is one of those subjects that can be difficult to talk about, yet it’s a significant part of life,” said New Vintage Ensemble member Mandy Pennington, who wrote the piece and is co-directing it with Dane Bower of Gaslight Theatre Company. “In a lot of ways, the show reminds us that death is always experienced through the lens of the living and that can be touching, painful, awkward, and also incredibly funny.”

Pennington began writing “My Condolences” in 2013 while grieving the loss of a family member. “What started as a way for me to express my own feelings turned into really interesting project,” said Pennington.

Throughout the play’s development, she sought input from funeral directors on the characters who appear in our own lives when we grieve, as well as some of our more outrageous displays of what we feel when someone we care about passes away. “Many of the details in the story are true. We embraced the weirdness of grief, that’s for sure.”

“My Condolences” was workshopped by New Vintage Ensemble in 2015 as part of their Shut Up & Read Staged Reading Series before being reworked for Scranton Fringe.

“What appeals to me about this piece is the potential it has to really connect with our audience in an unusual way. While we each handle death differently, the grieving process (particularly wakes and funerals) seems to have a certain set of universally identifiable aspects: solemnity, respect, grace in the face of loss. A way to behave that is socially acceptable and expected,” notes co-director Dane Bower. “This show takes all of that and turns it on its head, and I think audiences will all be able to connect with that and get caught up in the sort of zany freedom that comes with taking all the things you expect at a wake and tossing them out the window. Any time you take an audience and ask them to break from the norm, I think it is a rewarding experience for them.”

This production also marks the first collaboration between New Vintage Ensemble and Gaslight Theatre Co. Both companies are known throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania for engaging audiences with original works, reinvented classics, and award-winning productions.

Audiences should note that “My Condolences” is consider a rated R production and has adult language and content. It’s recommended for mature audiences only.

Performances of “My Condolences” will run during the Scranton Fringe Festival on Friday, September 28 at 6:00 p.m., Saturday, September 29 at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, September 30th at 2:00 p.m. in the second floor of AFA Gallery. Tickets are available through NewVintageEnsemble.com or Scranton Fringe.

Fast Facts

• What: “My Condolences”
• Who: Presented by The New Vintage Ensemble in collaboration with Gaslight Theatre Co.
• When: Friday, September 28 at 6:00 p.m., Saturday, September 29 at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, September 30th at 2:00 p.m.
• Where: AFA Gallery, 2nd Floor, 514 Lackawanna Avenue, Scranton, PA 18503
• Tickets: Available at the door or online at NewVintageEnsemble.com.

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 Gaslight Theatre Co.

The Gaslight Theatre Company was founded in 2003 with the mission to create impactful, innovative, and high-quality theatre that enriches the lives of local artists and the community. To learn more about Gaslight Theater Company, visit Gaslight-Theatre.org.

About Scranton Fringe

The Scranton Fringe Festival is dedicated to creating a bold and engaging platform for creative and thought provoking art with minimal risk to artist and audience. Regional as well as touring artists will be welcomed to present work with no censorship placed on content or artistic expression while striving to promote Scranton as a viable and creative environment. Learn more at scrantonfringe.org.#pressrelease#newsrelease#newvintageensemble

Striking costumes, musical underscoring, digital projection, and a setting independent of time and space are what audiences can expect in the upcoming New Vintage Ensemble production of Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town” at the Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple.

(Scranton, PA) – With a mission of reinventing the familiar, the New Vintage Ensemble is set to delight audiences with a fresh interpretation of an American theatre classic.

New Vintage Ensemble will present “Our Town” by Thornton Wilder, in partnership with the Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple and by special arrangement with Samuel French later this month. Performances will run Friday, April 27th through Saturday, May 5th, 2018 at the Scranton Cultural Center’s Shopland Hall.

Celebrating its 80th anniversary since its original debut, the Pulitzer Prize-winning “Our Town” remains a classic piece of American drama that is often taught in high school English classrooms around the country.

“I think in many ways, this a piece that deserves greater appreciation and justice,” said Director Conor Kelly O’Brien. “When you mention ‘Our Town’ to anyone who had to study it as part of their high school drama or English curriculum, you’re likely to get an eye roll. The piece is challenging, but beautiful and under appreciated.”

O’Brien’s choice of “Our Town” as his next project with the New Vintage Ensemble was a personal one as it was one of his first theatre performances as an actor. When given the opportunity to direct “Our Town”, O’Brien leapt at the opportunity.

As for what audiences can expect, O’Brien hopes that New Vintage Ensemble’s treatment of the work will redeem it in the eyes of anyone who felt challenged by it as part of their schoolwork. He notes that New Vintage Ensemble creates a Grover’s Corners unlike one audiences may have seen before.

“We’ve done a lot with pacing and styling to really make some of those scenes move faster. They’re much more dynamic and interesting,” said O’Brien. “We also use musical underscoring and digital projection that draws directly from the text to create this setting that’s independent of time and place. The costumes by Simone Daniel are also very striking.”

O’Brien adds that audiences can also expect stellar performances from the cast. “They demonstrate so much hard work and dedication,” said O’Brien. “They deliver beautiful performances.”

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.

CAST & CREW LIST:

• STAGE MANAGER – Maggie O’Brien
• EMILY WEBB – Kimmie Leff
• GEORGE GIBBS – Tim McDermott
• DR. GIBBS – Sarah Regan
• JOE & SI CROWELL / REBECCA GIBBS – Izzy DeFlice
• MRS. GIBBS – Chantel Mitchell
• MRS. WEBB – Alicia Nordstrom
• MR. WEBB / HOWIE NEWSOME – Dave Spitzer
• SIMON STIMSON – Casey Thomas
• MRS. SOAMES – April Holgate
• CONSTABLE WARREN / JOE STODDARD – Art Walsh
• WALLY WEBB / SAM CRAIG – Will Krisanda
• PROFESSOR WILLARD / AMONG THE DEAD – Celine Carter

Directed by Conor Kelly O’Brien

Stage Manager: Kathleen Barrett

Assistant Stage Manager: Mary-Pat DeFlice

Supervising Producer: Mollie Dooley

Costume Designer: Simone Daniel

Marketing: Mandy Pennington

Production Photographer: Brent Pennington

Production Graphic Designer: Jess Meoni

SUMMARY:

• OUR TOWN
• Written by Thornton Wilder’
• Presented by the New Vintage Ensemble in partnership with The Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple
• Directed by Conor Kelly O’Brien
• WHERE: Shopland Hall in the Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple, 420 N. Washington Ave., Scranton, PA
• WHEN: Friday April 27th at 8 p.m., Saturday April 28th at 8 p.m., Friday May 4th at 8 p.m., and Saturday May 5th at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.
• Tickets start at $15 and will be available via Ticketmaster and at the Scranton Cultural Center’s Fidelity Bank Box Office

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 CENTER

The 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

Known for their distinctive style and award-winning productions, regional theatre ensemble will present Thornton Wilder’s OUR TOWN in partnership with the Scranton Cultural Center this spring.

(Scranton, PA) – For many, OUR TOWN is a high school English class staple, but New Vintage Ensemble, a regional theatre group dedicated to reinventing the familiar, is about to change the way you think about Grover’s Corners.

New Vintage Ensemble is proud to announce its upcoming production of the American classic play OUR TOWN by Thornton Wilder, presented in partnership with the Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple by special arrangement with Samuel French. The play will run Friday, April 27th through Saturday, May 5th, 2018 at the Scranton Cultural Center’s Shopland Hall.

The play, which enjoyed Broadway success and a Pulitzer Prize for Drama win, details the lives of the townspeople of fictional Grover’s Corners through the lens of a theatrical production. The Stage Manager serves as an omniscient narrator and guide, leading both the audience and the actors through the daily life, marriages, and deaths of the play’s characters. Brooks Atkinson, in a review in The New York Times, called OUR TOWN, “one of the finest achievements of the current stage…a hauntingly beautiful play…”.

OUR TOWN originally premiered in 1938 and will be celebrating its 80th anniversary this year. Conor Kelly O’Brien, a founding member of the New Vintage Ensemble as well as the Executive Director of the Scranton Fringe Festival, serves as the director of this production.

“As the signature goal for all New Vintage Ensemble projects is to somehow reinvent the familiar, I am excited for us to be taking on this well-known piece of American theatre. While staying true to its original and universal themes, I am particularly interested in reframing the aesthetics and tone of the piece,” said O’Brien.

“We’re so thrilled to be working again with the Scranton Cultural Center,” said Mandy Pennington, ensemble member and marketing coordinator for OUR TOWN. “They’ve been a fantastic partner to collaborate with. Audiences are going to love this fresh take.”

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:

• OUR TOWN
• Presented by the New Vintage Ensemble & The Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple
• Written by Thornton Wilder
• Directed by Conor Kelly O’Brien
• Presented by special arrangement with Samuel French
• WHERE: Shopland Hall in the Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple, 420 N. Washington Ave., Scranton, PA
• WHEN: Friday April 27th at 8 p.m., Saturday April 28th at 8 p.m., Friday May 4th at 8 p.m., and Saturday May 5th at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.
• Tickets start at $15 and will be available via Ticketmaster and at the Scranton Cultural Center’s Fidelity Box Office

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 CENTER

The 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

The New Vintage Ensemble makes its return to the Scranton Fringe Festival with a new piece of original children’s programming that will be offered free to audiences of all ages.

(Scranton, PA) – What happens when a town filled with muddled, befuddled, and mixed up storybook characters stops listening, sharing, and telling stories? Find out in the New Vintage Ensemble’s latest production, “You’re Invited”, as it makes its world premiere at the upcoming Scranton Fringe Festival.

Developed using material sourced from interviews from dozens of local children, “You’re Invited” tells the story of a new wizard-in-training named Winnie who is given a seemingly impossible task: get the citizens of Wonsaponatown (as-in “once upon a town…”) to stop their distractions and start listening to each other again before The Really Big Huge Fancy Party at the town’s famous library – and before the town itself disappears!

“‘You’re Invited’ deals with a problem that a lot of people will relate to – becoming so busy that we forget to take the time to communicate and share our lives with each other. Messages are condensed to 160 characters or fewer, there’s only enough time for the bare facts to be related, and too much is left unsaid,” said Director Mollie Dooley. “But when you delve into a great story, you are reminded of the beauty of words and how wonderfully rich language can be. With this project, NVE wanted to help bring people back to the library, to ensure that these classic stories are never forgotten.”

In addition to material sourced from local children, a writing team comprised of ensemble members worked out the storyline to give audiences plenty of opportunities to laugh and connect with their favorite childhood stories.

With unique nods to classic characters, the New Vintage Ensemble reinvents familiar stories and presents them with stylish flair, as seen in previous productions such as “Hamlet”, “Pride & Prejudice”, “Retrospective”, and “Presenting The Spectrettes”.

As for what audiences can expect from “You’re Invited”, Supervising Producer Mandy Pennington noted, “The characters are so fun and engaging. You’ll see the Big Bad Wolf, Peter Pan, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Mother Goose, and Puss in Boots in ways you’ve never even imagined.”

Additionally, “You’re Invited” explores themes that were common threads in the interviews New Vintage Ensemble conducted at KISS Theater Company, DIVA Productions, and Gaslight Theatre Company.

“Kids spoke to us about their worries, their concerns, what they’re proudest of, what they’re afraid of,” said Pennington. “We wanted to take those ideas and turn them into a story that could connect with audiences while also writing a love letter to the stories we read, heard, and loved as children.”

“With this project, we wanted to create a new play with input from local children at every stage. And boy, did they deliver! They were so enthusiastic. Kids have such a wonderful capacity for invention and creativity, and they gave us so many wonderful ideas to work with,” said Dooley. “We tried to incorporate as many as we could into the show, and I hope that when they see the final production, the kids are pleased with their contributions.”

This interactive and original children’s show showcases a cast of colorful characters working together in an adventure that will delight audiences of all ages.

Performances of “You’re Invited” will take place at the Lackawanna County Children’s Library on Friday, September 29 at 6:00 p.m., Saturday, September 30 at 3:00 p.m., and Sunday, October 1 at 3:00 p.m. Admission is free to all, thanks to the support of the the Lackawanna County Arts and Culture Department.

“When I was growing up, the local library was one of my favorite places. All kinds of adventures could be had there, just by picking up a book. And they had thousands of books! So when New Vintage Ensemble was asked to partner with the Scranton Children’s Library for this year’s Fringe Festival, I was thrilled to revisit some of my favorite childhood stories,” said Dooley. “We have updated some classic characters, who are faced with more modern problems, but audiences will recognize their favorites.”

Fast Facts

• What: “You’re Invited”
• Who: Presented by The New Vintage Ensemble
• When: Friday, September 29 at 6:00 p.m. / Saturday, September 30 at 3:00 p.m. / Sunday, October 1 at 3:00 p.m.
• Where: The Lackawanna County Children’s Library, 520 Vine St. in Scranton
• Tickets: Free admission, thanks to support from the Lackawanna County Arts & Culture Department.

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 Scranton Fringe

The Scranton Fringe Festival is dedicated to creating a bold and engaging platform for creative and thought provoking art with minimal risk to artist and audience. Regional as well as touring artists will be welcomed to present work with no censorship placed on content or artistic expression while striving to promote Scranton as a viable and creative environment. Learn more at scrantonfringe.org.

“The Darling Core”, an original dark comedy co-created and co-starring Scranton, PA natives Simone Daniel & Conor Anthony O’Brien, is set to return to Off-Broadway (NYC) and make an international debut at the 2017 Edinburgh Fringe Festival (Scotland, UK).

(Scranton, PA) – The New Vintage Ensemble has a mission to engage new audiences and reinvent the familiar. This summer, it will accomplish both objectives through a revived tour of an original production that explores place, time, and emotional tempests.

“The Darling Core”, a dark comedy co-created and co-starting Simone Daniel and Conor Anthony O’Brien, will make its international debut this summer at the 2017 Edinburgh FringeFestival in Scotland. Prior to hopping the pond, “The Darling Core” will appear as a part of the highly-celebrated East to Edinburgh Festival at 59e59 Theatres in New York City.

In addition to appearances in NYC and the UK, special preview performances will be presented in partnership with The Cooperage Project in Honesdale, PA in July.

“We are delighted to be kicking off our 2017 ‘Darling Core’ tour with our friends and partners in historic Honesdale,” said Maggie O’Brien, the supervising producer for the production and a member of The New Vintage Ensemble. “The warmth and openness of the space and the community The Cooperage Project has created provides the perfect platform for this original and charming tale.”

ABOUT THE PLAY

“The Darling Core” is an original dark comedy about the original dark couple. Adam and Lilith (from Judeo-Christian lore) have existed for all known history and have chosen – out of delight or desperation – to spend the last century as vaudevillian performers. As the play leaps between the on-stage facades and the off-stage fights, Adam and Lilith explore the constantly challenging questions of their past and futures.

“The Darling Core” originally premiered at the 2014 Pittsburgh Fringe Festival where O’Brien received the Award for Best Actor of The Festival for his portrayal of Adam. Throughout the past three years, the work has been performed twice in Scranton and most recently in Manhattan at The Cell Theatre on 23rd Street.

Guest artist Daniel Holme serves as director for this newly revived tour of the production, building upon its strong foundation while bringing a new creative eye to the piece.

“I’m thrilled to be joining the legacy of ‘The Darling Core’,” said Holme. “I’m excited to be peeling back the layers and discovering – with the hope of exposing – the more immediate question the play asks.”

An award-winning actor and theatre maker, Daniel attended The BRIT School of Performing Arts and trained at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City. Maggie O’Brien (original production director / developer) returns as the supervising producer on behalf of the New Vintage Ensemble.

WHEN AND WHERE:

The Cooperage Project (Honesdale, PA, USA) – July 7 & 8, 2017

59e59 Theatres (New York, NY, USA) – July 11 & 16, 2017

The Royal Terrace (Edinburgh, Scotland, UK) – August 21 through 26, 2017

ABOUT THE NEW VINTAGE ENSEMBLE:

Founded in 2013, the New Vintage Ensemble is a collective of theater artists primarily based within Northeastern Pennsylvania dedicated to producing innovative theater while helping the art community of the Scranton region thrive. Establishing itself as a primarily professional troupe, the New Vintage Ensemble believes in empowering its artists through artistic as well as financial support. Our distinctive style and passion for engaging audiences has resulted in award-winning and internationally-recognized productions as well as regional premieres of original works. Learn more at newvintageensemble.com.

ABOUT THE EDINBURGH FESTIVAL FRINGE SOCIETY:

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, the charity that underpins the Edinburgh Festival Fringe was established in 1958, eleven years after the birth of the Fringe in 1947, when the first performers turned up uninvited to perform at the Edinburgh International Festival. The Fringe is an open access festival – any artist or company can take part regardless of their experience or success and the festival is not programmed or run by an artistic director or any selection body.

As a registered charity, the Fringe Society exists to support all participants, industry professionals, media and audience members who attend the Fringe from all around the world,and to produce accurate and up-to- date information and ticketing for audiences, and to raise the profile of the festival as a whole. Learn more at edfringe.com.

ABOUT 59e59 THEATERS/EAST TO EDINBURGH FESTIVAL:

Since 2004, The Drama Desk Award-winning 59E59 Theaters has been dedicated to bringing the best new work from around the country and across the world to premiere in New York. Conveniently located in the heart of Midtown, just east of Central Park, this Off Broadway destination is a spectacular, modern theater complex boasting three spaces and presenting live performances six days a week, 50 weeks a year. The East to Edinburgh Festival showcases North American companies performing in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival prior to their departures for the UK. Learn more at 59e59.org.

ABOUT THE COOPERAGE PROJECT:

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.

The New Vintage Ensemble is returning to The Cooperage in Honesdale for a summer residency, starting with “The World Will Stop if We Make a Mistake,” an interactive play meant for all ages that incorporates puppetry and film, on Saturday, June 10 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, June 11 at 3 p.m. Tickets are a suggested donation of $10 advance or $15 at the door to support The Cooperage Project’s continued educational programming.

Reservations are appreciated and can be made by contacting The Cooperage (1030 Main St., Honesdale) at info@thecooperageproject.org or 570-253-2020.

The two summer theater productions are made possible by a grant from the Villaume Foundation.

“The World Will Stop if We Make a Mistake,” which debuted at the 2016 Scranton Fringe Festival and most recently appeared at the Ithaca Fringe Festival in April, tells the story of Judy and Zack, two longtime friends who get a glimpse into their childhood selves when Zack finds a box containing cards and letters Judy sent to him over the course of 25 years.

Suitable for all ages, the performance combines live-action sequences, puppetry, and time-lapse film while themes of transition, life milestones, loss, and friendship are explored. Ensemble members Tim McDermott and Sarah Regan perform the 50-minute show under the direction of Brendan Regan, with puppet design by Patrick Daniel Holmes.

According to Scranton Fringe Festival Executive Director Conor O’Brien, “‘The World Will Stop if We Make A Mistake’ was one of the most talked about productions at our festival. … Audiences (including myself) thought it was charming, tender, and overall fantastic! It proved modern theater can have heart and creative staging.”

The Cooperage is operated by The Cooperage Project, a nonprofit organization whose objective is to cultivate social awareness and foster civic engagement in Honesdale through a wide range of activities and events in order to build a strong and vibrant community.

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.

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

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

Greetings New Vintage Ensemble Friends, Peers & Supporters, 2016 was quite the year and for many (several ensemble members included) it couldn’t end soon enough. HOWEVER, despite 2016 perhaps not being a banner milestone for many, its tumultuous energy did not slow down the creative works of the New Vintage Ensemble.

As we prepare to raise the curtain on a year, we wanted to peek out from behind the wings a bit and reflect on all we accomplished (with your dedicated help) this year!

Hamlet

We wanted to enter the new year with a light romantic comedy that would allow us to coast a bit on our laurels….but for some odd reason we instead did a heavily stylized version of one of the longest plays ever written – William Shakespeare’s HAMLET.

The production ran for two weeks in January of 2016 and was performed in partnership with / at the historic Scranton Cultural Center (Shopland Hall). Under the direction of ensemble member Casey Thomas, dramatic styling in terms of lighting, sound ,and costuming (thanks to our designer Carol Arena!) were brought together under an overall vision of creating a “cinematic”-like experience within live theater.

While majority of the Hamlet team represented ensemble members, several roles within the cast were filled by incredibly talented guest artists. This marked the first appearance of now full members Mollie Dooley (as Ophelia) and Terry Thompson (as Laertes) in an NVE production. Thanks to the support of this incredibly talented team and the nearly 600 of you who attended, we are honored to receive the Electric City Best of Award for Best Theatrical Production of 2016!

Image Credit: Brent Pennington

The Trouble with Sketch Shows

Our next project was an original sketch show, completely created within an intimate series of private workshops conducted by show director Conor O’Brien. The sketch show was written by ensemble members Sarah Regan, Simone Daniel, Conor O’Brien, Tim McDermott, Kathleen Barrett & guest contributor – Matt Serniak! A few sessions of live improvisation also took place.

The production’s full-title was publicized as The Trouble With Sketch Shows, a nod to a local cinematic treasure. Produced at / in partnership again with the Scranton Cultural Center, however this time within the downstairs Jr Ballroom space – a venue not often utilized by the public!

Image Credit: Brent Pennington

The Fourth Wall

Following our sketch show by just a few short weeks, we now moved towards our first production mounted at / in partnership with The Cooperage Project (in Honesdale PA). Various members of The Cooperage Project leadership team attended our January production of Hamlet, prompting them to seek us out to form a new partnership – striving to cultivate a theatre-going-audience in the greater Honesdale area.

Under the superb direction of ensemble member Kimmie Leff, A.R Gurney’s The Fourth Wall was presented with a cast of four (ensemble members Maggie O’Brien, Sarah Regan, Tim McDermott and guest artist Sam Falbo). Driven by detailed dialog the focus of cast and crew greatly paid off and made for a fantastic inaugural New Vintage Ensemble performance at The Cooperage Project!

Want to see a bit of the fun we had with this show? View a preview scene performed by Maggie & Sam on WBRE’s program PA Live!

Image Credit: Brent Pennington

RETROSPECTIVE The 2016 Scranton Fringe Festival took place in downtown Scranton September 29th – October 2nd. The second annual Scranton Fringe brought over fifty productions/events to multiple venues throughout a weekend of exciting performing arts – and we were ecstatic to be part of it again!

Developed / directed by ensemble members Simone Daniel & Jessica McDonough, RETROSPECTIVE was a multi-media original piece inspired by the life and works of THE salacious pop icon, Kanye West. This performance piece was dedicated to dislodging the audience from their assumptions and use of their senses to understand the work of a true artist and one’s own journey to rightful confidence. Ultimately, its mission was simple – to love yourself like Kanye loves Kanye.

With numerous sold out performances our audiences had quite a bit to say about RETROSPECTIVE, such as:

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) [Revised]

Last (but not least) in our 2016 body of work comes the entirety of William Shakespeare’s cannon (in a manner of speaking)! The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) [Revised] created by Adam Long, Daniel Singer, and Jess Winfield was lead under the direction of ensemble member Jessica McDonough and starred ensemble member Terry Thompson with guest artists Conor McGuigan and Eric Lutz. With support from ensemble members Kathleen Barrett (resident stage manager) and Lorrie Loughney (assistant stage manager) and supervising producer Maggie O’Brien – this production presented in one way or another the complete cannon of William Shakespeare in just about an hour & a half!

This production was the second and final partnership for 2016 with The Cooperage Project! Our second outing with The Cooperage Project was just as fantastic as the first, with an even larger audience response! It was incredible to see our hard work grow from the summer and we couldn’t have been more proud to call “Complete Works..” our last show of 2016!

Image Credit: Justin Roach

As we reflect on all the fantastic work we’ve been able to present in 2016, it would be wrong to not offer our deepest thanks to all the partners, venues, artists and audiences (including YOU) who made it all possible!

We cannot say quite yet what 2017 will have in store for the New Vintage Ensemble, but we promise that if you continue to aid us in our mission of reinventing the familiar – it will surely be worth the wait!

All our best towards a bright new year,

THE NEW VINTAGE ENSEMBLE

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.