Scranton Shakes Reveals Show Lineup for Upcoming Season

Posted on June 5, 2019 by The Dunmorean

Eight years strong, Scranton Shakespeare Festival continues to offer the Northeastern Pennsylvania community exciting, free professional theater. Scranton Shakes is a non-profit organization, supported by the generosity of national and state-run organizations, local fund-raising, and audience donations.

To get in the mood for this season, Scranton Shakes is hosting an elegant fundraiser, A Night At The Tonys on Sunday, June 9, at 7:30 p.m. at The Scranton Club. This glamorous viewing party for the coveted Tony Awards is complete with red carpet entry, cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and live entertainment. Tickets are $35 and will be available at the door and at http://www.ScrantonShakes.com. The event will benefit the Scranton Shakespeare Festival.

Kicking off this year’s season at Scranton Prep on June 27-30 and again on Aug. 3 is the upbeat Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat which will be directed by Billie-Aken Tyers.

Local musician and lead singer of Black Tie Stereo, Stephen Murphy, last seen with SSF in its production of The Pirates of Penzance, will take on the leading role of Joseph. He will be sharing the stage with one of the region’s most treasured voices, Michele Conaboy McGrath, as the Narrator. A special performance on Friday, June 28, will also welcome the hearing-impaired community by feature sign language interpreters.

SSF Artistic Director, Michael Bradshaw Flynn, will direct Troilus and Cressida, Shakespeare’s epic of love and sex during the Trojan War. Michael, raised in Scranton and co-founder of the festival, has always had a finger on the pulse on what the community will respond to. He’ll be adding his unique spin on this famous story that explores conflict in the war-rooms and the bedrooms of Troy’s golden days. With both local and New York City actors playing legendary roles such as Helen of Troy and Achilles, this production will be presented at Scranton Prep, July 12 – 14 and Aug 3.

Emma Rosa Went’s deceptively simple and heart-warming production of As You Like It last season was a favorite of audiences. This year she will be turning her directing skill to Shakespeare’s Richard III, featuring England’s infamous royal villain. Set in a straight-laced, buttoned-down, Victorian-esque metropolis, audiences will revel in Richard’s violent, rebellious and horrifying campaign to becoming King of England. He’s the evil king everybody loves to hate, which might be why Richard III remains the second most produced Shakespeare play ever! Scranton Shakes’ version will be presented at the Royal Theatre of the University of Scranton from July 19 – 21 and again on Aug 4.

Each year Scranton Shakes has featured a daring, site-specific production to its season. In 2017, it was Damn Yankees, the baseball musical presented at PNC Field, and last year was How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying in downtown’s Marketplace at Steamtown mall (complete with glass elevator and sweeping staircases).

And this year is no different. The Broadway musical Cabaret, with music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb, feels like a night out in 1929’s Berlin’s Kit Kat Club, with a backdrop of racial tension and the pre-war Nazi’s rise to power. Liza Minnelli climbed to stardom playing Sally Bowles in the movie. SSF will use Scranton’s new downtown, secret speakeasy, Madam Jenny’s at the Bittenbender, as an immersive venue for a titillating night out. Simone Daniel, a native of Scranton, is directing this classic show with a fresh, contemporary lens that audiences are sure to enjoy from their plush velvet booths while sipping delicious cocktails. This show, which is for mature audiences, will run July 25 – 28 and Aug 4.

To close the season will be a very exciting production from Broadway legend and Tony- nominated playwright Douglas Carter Beane, who presented Fairycakes with SSF in 2014 and premiered Robin Hood: The New Musical in 2015. He returns to Scranton Shakes with a brand new play set right here in Pennsylvania. The Behavior Of Light charts the adventures of shy, amateur artist Teddy, who despite living in 1970’s Reading, Pa., with his television-tending mom, spends his days lost in a whirlwind of love, color, light, and creativity. The show will run at the Royal Theatre, University of Scranton, July 31 – Aug 2.

Make your reservations for the shows with our box office. Though tickets are free, reserving them is highly recommended. You’ll find more information about the shows and the festival here at www.ScrantonShakes.com

Freshman Kaci Kranson Hitting Over .400 for Lady Crusaders

Posted on June 5, 2019 by The Dunmorean

By Steve Svetovich

Kaci Kranson is proving herself quickly as the starting right fielder for the Holy Cross Lady Crusaders softball team.

Humble in nature, Kaci, 15, was hitting .403 as her team prepared for the district title game against Northwest. Kaci also had 25 hits, 23 runs and two homers at press time.

Daughter of Ryan and Jill Kranson, Kaci is a high honors student at Holy Cross High School.

Kaci is one of the unsung heroes of the Holy Cross softball team which is a young group this season.

She started as a freshman and key member of the Holy Cross girls’ basketball team playing a variety of positions. She is a member of Student Council, the Service Club and the Pro Life Club at Holy Cross.

Her timely hitting and outfield play helped lead the Lady Crusaders to the Class 2A district title game against Northwest.

She talked about what it takes to be a good outfielder on the high school level. “You need to get a good jump on the ball, call out when you have to make a catch and have a good bond with the other outfielders. You need to know when to step back and when to step forward.”

Kaci said becoming a good hitter on the softball level takes practice. “It takes a lot of effort. You need to practice a lot and always keep at it.”

The freshman stalwart said she is learning a lot from Holy Cross veteran softball coach Joe Ross, who was quite a hitter in his day. “He teaches us to not be afraid of making mistakes. He tells us we will do better next time. Keep trying hard and working hard. And try to enjoy the game.”

Kaci’s parents have always been a strong influence in her life. “My parents teach me to always keep trying and working hard. They tell me there will always be bumps in the road, but you have to keep plugging. Never give up on anything.”

Modest and polite, Kaci said she enjoys listening to music in her spare time and would like to see Ariana Grande in concert. She said her best academic subject is Spanish.

Kaci attributes the success of her team to a lot of team work and practice.

“It has been a fun year and our team is really playing well.”

Kaci said she has not thought about college yet, but does have aspirations to become a Physician’s Assistant. She would like to play college basketball or softball if possible.

As she nears the conclusion of her freshman year, Kaci can only beam with her decision to attend Holy Cross. “I just love it here at Holy Cross. There is no better place to go to school. I love it so much.”

Athlete of the Month: Jenna Bradley

Posted on June 5, 2019 by The Dunmorean

By Steve Svetovich

The world is her oyster.

Holy Cross junior softball pitcher Jenna Bradley is putting together a season for the ages as she pitches her team to the district finals against Northwest.

Daughter of Josh and Jenn Bradley, the talented junior had a 17-3 pitching record at press time. She totaled an astounding 272 strikeouts and a miniscule 1.02 ERA at press time.

Jenna fired a shutout, 2-0, with 16 strikeouts in the district semifinal win over Mountain View.

She has a double figure strikeout total in every game she pitched this season except a shortened three-inning contest.

Jenna also is tearing the league apart as a hitter. She was hitting .533 with seven homers and 25 RBIs at press time.

And Jenna excels in the classroom too. She has a 4.06 grade point average with dual enrollment at Marywood University as an IHM scholar. She will earn 18 college credits through the IHM scholar program when she graduates high school.

She is junior class president and a member of the student council advisory board at Holy Cross. She is a member of the National Honor Society and a member of the foreign languages club.

Jenna has committed to the University of Massachusetts at Amherst for the fall of 2020. She will play softball and study sports management with a goal of getting into the Eisenberg School of Business.

Jenna, who used to ride horses competitively, said she owes a lot of success to her parents. “They tell me to put the work in and good things will happen. At the end of the day you will be successful if you work hard. They tell me to play hard all the time and work equally hard in school. They are always there for me.”

Status-FastPitch-Game-Leather-Softball Jenna said Holy Cross veteran baseball coach Joe Ross, who came from a baseball family in Green Ridge, teaches her a lot.

“He tells us to not get wrapped up in the nonsense. Take one pitch at a time. Enjoy the game. Keep things simple. Put your work in. Have fun.”

Jenna, an All Regional selection as a pitcher last season, also plays first base where she was honorable mention as a freshman. She is widely considered one of the top softball players in the area.

She attributes the success of the team to her teammates. “We fight right to the end. A lot of people underestimated us because we are young. We did this playing for each other and not as individuals. We make each other better.

Jenna, well spoken, confident and humble in nature, talked about her personal success. “I play because I love the game. It keeps me level headed. I surround myself with people and teammates who make me better.

“I have played through adversity and overcomed it. When someone says you can’t do something or accomplish something, you work even harder.”

Jenna said she likes music and would like to see country artist George Strait in concert.

With a strong intellect, she talked about her future goals.

“Well, I am committed to play Division I softball at the University of Massachusetts and want to perform well. I would like to complete my degree and then get into marketing maybe for NIke or Under Armor. Eventually, I would like to own and operate my own sports facility where I could coach and be a part of a recruiting process for other young softball players. I would like to help develop and recruit young players. That would be my ultimate goal.”