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2010 Season
*all performances are rights pending __________________________________________________________________ Twelfth Night a comedy by William Shakespeare directed by Jeremy Johnson "If music be the food of love, play on!" Thus begins Acting Manitou's foray into Shakespeare's most beloved comedy! A play of stunningly lyrical poetry, gorgeous musical events, romance and buffoonery. Our campers will delight in some of the most memorable characters in the canon: the heroines Viola and Olivia, the love struck Duke, the clownish revelers Sir Toby Belch, Sir Andrew and Feste, and sniveling butler Malvolio. Tim says, "We are thrilled to welcome the talented and dynamic Shakespeare teacher Jeremy Johnson to the Acting Manitou community with this masterpiece." The Secret in the Wings a play by Mary Zimmerman directed by Ami Formica "Once upon a time" is the password to a spellbinding netherworld of rarely told fairy tales including "Three Blind Queens" and "The Princess Who Wouldn't Laugh" - framed by a unique twist on the beloved classic "Beauty and the Beast." Steve says, "We are super excited to have veteran Acting Manitou director, Ami Formica, tackle the stunning and challenging work of a Mary Zimmerman production. The campers are sure to enjoy working on such a spooky, funny and poignant piece of theater." 13 a musical with book by Dan Elish, music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown musical direction by Benji Goldsmith directed by Tim Brownell This new show by the celebrated composer Jason Robert Brown charged onto the Broadway scene in 2008 reaching adults and teens alike. With performance rights only recently made available, Acting Manitou will be one of the first summer camps to produce 13. New York City middle schooler Evan Goldman's world is flipped upside down when he moves to Indiana, just when he is turning that fateful age we all look forward to or remember well. Tim says, "When I first heard about 13 from Acting Manitou Lighting Designer Jen Schriever who worked on the show on Broadway, I remember my excitement that one of my favorite composers had written a sophisticated musical comedy for teens." Xanadu a musical with book by Douglas Carter Beane, music and lyrics by Jeff Lynne and John Farrar musical direction by John McGrew directed by Steve Borowka Xanadu follows the journey of a magical and beautiful Greek muse, Kira, who descends from the heavens of Mt. Olympus to Venice Beach, California in 1980 on a quest to inspire a struggling artist, Sonny, to achieve the greatest artistic creation of all time - the first ROLLER DISCO! But, when Kira falls into forbidden love with the mortal Sonny, her jealous sisters take advantage of the situation and chaos abounds. This hilarious musical adventure is about following your dreams despite the limitations others set for you. Steve says, "This is a musical for anyone who has ever wanted to feel inspired! You'll keep the music in your head, and Xanadu in your heart." Hercules written by Ron Clements directed by Jaron Vesely Hercules, son of the Greek God, Zeus, is turned into a half-god, half-mortal by evil Hades, God of the Underworld, who plans to overthrow Zeus. Hercules is raised on Earth and retains his god-like strength, but when he discovers his immortal heritage Zeus tells him that to return to Mount Olympus he must become a "true hero." Due to high enrollment numbers, Steve and Tim have decided to add a fifth show to the first session! We are so excited to have Jaron directing for us and we can not wait to see what he does with this classic story. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe based on the novel by C.S. Lewis Tim Brownell This fantasy fairy-tale, one of the great treasures of children's literature, comes alive to the Acting Manitou stage. Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy, find a wardrobe in an empty room in their English country house and discover that it is a portal to the magical kingdom of Narnia. Tim says, "I loved the Narnia books growing up and still do today. I cannot wait to electrify the stage with fantasy adventure!" Macbeth a play by William Shakespeare directed by Joe Varca Acting Manitou's first ever production of a Shakespearean tragedy is the play of witches, ghosts, curses, battles, and power, often referred to by superstitious actors as "The Scottish Play". Persuaded by three witches and the villainess Lady Macbeth, Macbeth murders the King of Scotland and takes the crown. Power corrupts and one bloody crime turns into many, in this Shakespearean thriller. Tim says, "Something wicked this way comes" to Acting Manitou and it's Macbeth director Joe Varca's wicked sense of humor and stage combat choreography skills." The Government Inspector a play by Nikolai Gogol directed by Meg Sturiano One part farce, one part slapstick, with a dash of musical theater, this energetic comedy is jam-packed with gags, jokes and hilarious exchanges. When a town in Russia finds out that a government inspector is staying there incognito to make reports for the tsar, the mayor and his staff connive to make the town seem respectable. The craziness begins when a lowly clerk Ivan is mistaken for the inspector. Steve says, "Meg Sturiano has been talking about this zany farce since I met her. I'm so excited that we have the opportunity to share this comedy with the Acting Manitou community." Suessical the Musical a musical by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty musical direction by Dan Villar directed by Chris Murrah Seussical brings to life all of our favorite Dr. Seuss characters, including Horton the Elephant, The Cat in the Hat, Gertrude McFuzz, lazy Mayzie, and a little boy with a big imagination--Jojo. The show captures the spirit of imagination, as the colorful characters transport us from the Jungle of Nool to the Circus McGurkus to the invisible world of the Whos. Steve says, "This musical is for everyone. The show is a magical extravaganza which teaches the importance of helping a friend, never giving up and keeping a promise." The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee a musical by Rachel Sheinkin and William Finn musical direction by Tim Matson directed by Steve Borowka This show has created the unlikeliest of hit musicals about the unlikeliest of heroes: a quirky yet charming cast of outsiders for whom a spelling bee is the one place where they can stand out and fit in at the same time. The Spelling Bee is a tale of overachievers vying for the spelling championship of a lifetime. Our young heroes learn that winning isn't everything and that losing doesn't necessarily make you a loser. Steve and Tim saw this musical on Broadway together. Before the final curtain, Tim turned to Steve and said, "We have to do this at Acting Manitou one day!" We are thrilled that that day has arrived! |
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Winter Office • Acting Manitou • 160 Hopper Ave • Waldwick, NJ • 07463 • 201.857.5208• mailbox@actingmanitou.com
Summer Address • Acting Manitou • 7 East Pond Rd • Oakland, ME • 04963 • 207.465.3695