Tag Archives: performing arts

Crimson Company Presents: “The Crucible”

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NOTE: On Friday, November 18, there will be no showing of “The Crucible” at Dunmore High School due to the Dunmore Bucks’ playoff football game on Friday evening.

The Devil is loose in Dunmore! The Dunmore High School Crimson Company Drama Club will present Arthur Miller’s award winning drama  “The Crucible”  Nov. 16 through 19 in the DHS Auditorium, all at 7 p.m.

This stirring tragedy about the Salem Witch Trials of 1692 is both a gripping historical play and a timely parable of our contemporary society. A group of teenage girls are caught dancing in the woods by their strict Puritan minister.  To avoid punishment the girls blame others and accuse them of witchcraft. 

The entire Salem community is stirred into madness. As the play reaches its violent climax, the innocent are tried and condemned to the gallows by lies, deceit, and ignorance. The timeless vision of “The Crucible” remains unrivalled in American theater, winning a Best Play Tony Award in 1953.

In  “The Crucible” Miller sought to link the hearings of House Un-American Activities Committee and their hunt for Communists in the government and society to the Salem Witch Trials. Hysteria ruled again in the 1950’s as people were accused and lives and reputations destroyed on hearsay evidence. Arthur Miller began writing  “The Crucible”  shortly after he began his relationship with Marilyn Monroe, and was himself was called to testify and “name names” before the committee which he refused to do.

The DHS Crimson Company is proud to present Miller’s masterpiece of drama.  “The Crucible”  is part of Dunmore’s curriculum and presents many opportunities for cross-curricular conversation and analysis of important events in both American literature and history.

crimson-company-tripMembers of the Crimson Company traveled to Salem, Mass., last month to learn more about the history behind their upcoming production. The group and their directors, Brian and Dawn McGurl, went on a sightseeing trip that included the House of the Seven Gables, The Salem Witch Museum and a night time ghost tour of Salem. They also traveled to Boston for a tour of the Freedom Trail to include Paul Revere’s house and the Boston Commons. Before heading home the group also visited several graveyards and sights that are referenced in the play.

This year’s cast includes: Kaitlin Ahern, Lauren Brown, Noah Cogliette, Lily Conboy, Brianna Cormier, Arianna Costanzi, Jack Culkin, Ashley Fischetti, Joe Ferguson, Ian Gratkowski, Luke Gratkowski, Timothy Hopkins, Julia Ingargiola, Cessna Pendon, Tessa McDonald, Billy McDonough, Marisa Moraski, Bobby McMynne, Mark Nealon,  Sophia Norvilas, Christian Reese, Mackenzie Senatore, Molly Sheets, Aleia Sileo and Nico Summa.

Dearly Departed Players to present “Accidents Happen”

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dearly-departed-players-pic2The Dearly Departed Players, under the direction of Julie Esty,will present The Dunmore Cemetery Tour, 2016, “Accidents Happen,” on Oct. 2 and 9 at 2 p.m. Admission is free. Tours begin at the Cemetery Gate and run approximately two hours.

Comfortable walking shoes are suggested. Arrive early to view the exhibits before the tour.

For tour information, please call (570)344- 3819.  The Dunmore Cemetery Tour can be found on Facebook.

This annual event draws audience attendees from all over the East Coast. Last year, well over 1,500 people attended over two Sundays. In  2014 and 2015, the tour was voted  Happenings Magazine Best History Centered Event.

The Dearly Departed Players are a group of 14 Lackawanna County residents.  Among the group are historical interpreters, authors, professional actors, dancers and musicians.

Last year’s tour, “Criminal Intent,” was a huge success.  In keeping with a themed tour, this year everyone from the past who is presented either died by accident or caused an accident that resulted in death.

One aspect of the Dunmore Cemetery Tour that makes it unique is that, in addition to being an event dealing with local history, it is also theatrical, incorporating aspects of site specific, promenade and environmental theater into the production.

It’s Time for Fringe Fest!

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The Scranton Fringe Festival, dedicated to creating a bold and engaging platform for creative and thought-provoking art with minimal risk to artist and audience, is set for Sept. 29 to Oct. 2.

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.

The Scranton Fringe Festival is held annually across four days in multiple venues throughout downtown Scranton. Theatre, music, dance, film, comedy, puppetry and every other sort of performing-arts-production you can imagine are welcomed on the fringe. The festival is kept accessible and affordable for artists (no application fees, little to no production fees) and audiences (special free programming, affordable tickets, hopper passes, etc).

Scranton Fringe was co-founded by Conor O’Brien, current executive director, and Elizabeth Bohan, current managing director. The 2016 Board of Directors also includes: Attorney Frank Blasi, Lorrie Loughney, Chantel Mitchell, Camille Reinecke, Kim Pane and Melissa Careista. Scranton Fringe Festival’s mission is deemed non-profit.

Scranton Fringe celebrated its first festival in October 2015 to great success. With 47 productions spanning nearly 100 individual performances, and approximately 3,000 in attendance, Scranton Fringe has proven itself to be a major event in the cultural landscape of NEPA.

For information on the schedule and venues, go to http://www.scrantonfringe.org