Spotlight Issue: January 2003
County Players Presents
Over the River and Through the Woods
County Players, Inc. presents the hit family comedy Over the River and Through the Woods as its first show of the new year. Written by Joe DiPietro and directed by Rian Keating , this production will open on February 7, 2003 at 8:00 PM. Subsequent performances will be February 8, 14, 15, 21 and 22, 2003 at 8:00 PM. Over the River and Through the Woods shows us the laughter and love that revolve around Nick, a single Italian-American from New Jersey and his grandparents. To keep family ties, after his parents have retired to Florida, Nick has dinner with both sets of his grandparents every Sunday. They dote on him as only grandparents can, giving him their love and affection and prompting him to find the right girl.
This is the routine until Nick has terrific news; he has found his dream job… in Seattle
. This news does not sit well with Frank, Aida, Nunzio, and Emma, they plan to do their level best to keep Nick happy and settled in New Jersey and help to find the right girl. A young man needs the right girl to help him settle down in New Jersey. Our well intentioned foursome come up with several schemes to play on Nick’s guilt. The plot takes an unexpected twist when they bring the lovely Caitlin O’Hara to dinner.
This hilarious and heartwarming family comedy appeals to theater goers of all ages.
The County Players production of Over The River and Through The Woods stars:
Rick Meyer from Saugerties appears as Nick.
Bernice Edman from Poughkeepsie appears as Aida.
Peter Edman from Poughkeepsie appears as Frank.
Julie Woolley form Poughkeepsie appears as Emma.
Paul Coleman from Wappingers Falls appears as Nunzio
Marybeth Boylan from New Windsor in her County Player’s debut appears as Caitlin.
Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for Seniors, and $12 for children under 12. For tickets or information please call the box office at (845) 298-1491.
Upcoming Auditions
Auditions for the spring musical Grease! will be held Sunday, January 19, 2003 at 4:00 P.M. and Monday, January 20, 2003 at 7:00 P.M. For more information contact director Tom Lawrence at 485-5848.
County Players History
Ten years ago: In February 1993, County Players continued its 35th season with the Agatha Christie whodunit The Mousetrap directed by Joe Cosentino. The production featured a nightly contest for theatergoers. The audience was invited to guess the murderer’s identity. A random drawing from all correct entries was used to award the winner with complimentary tickets for that year’s spring musical.
Twenty years ago: In January 1983, County Players held auditions for Ten Little Indians – another Agatha Christie mystery. County Players consistently tries to produce a mix of comedy, drama, mystery and musical shows to satisfy our discriminating audiences. It’s not surprising to see playwrights like Agatha Christie or Neil Simon on our slate over the years.
New Web Site Features!
Have you visited our website recently? It may look pretty much the same but there are some interesting new features that are worth a closer look. First and foremost, the message board has been updated to run entirely on our site. There are many new topic headings and discussion threads going on simultaneously. This is a great opportunity for our members and patrons to voice their opinions, ask questions, and find out more about the inner workings of CP. Second, there’s a wonderful tool under the History link which chronicles our shows, the actors, directors, and other production staff for our company’s 45 years. Also, we continue to update our site with upcoming events, photos of recent productions and events, and other interesting items. Special thanks to our president and web master, Jeff Wilson, for his tireless efforts in support of our company. We enthusiastically encourage you to visit us on the web and get involved in County Players.
From the President
Greetings and Happy New Year to all! We had a very good 2002 and we’re hoping to do even better in 2003. There have been several developments I’d like to update you on and also fill you in on upcoming events.
First, our scene shop property in Wappingers has been expanded with the construction of a new steel span structure (commonly called a quonset hut). This building was completed in the fourth quarter of last year and provides CP with additional storage space for furniture, props, and set construction components. We hope this will give us greater flexibility in set designs and decor lending to better overall production value. Special thanks to Bill Peckham who managed this project from concept to completion.
Second, I like to thank the entire cast and crew of Broadway Bound for their talent and hard work in bringing Neil Simon’s work to life. This was a difficult show to produce and we were happy with the results. Thanks to directing newcomer Matt Andrews for lending his talents to CP. And thanks to Doug Woolley and Bill Peckham for a monumental construction job on the two story set.
Coming up, I hope you’ll make time to come and see Over the River and Through the Woods which opens in February. This is a very funny and touching play that will appeal to audiences of all ages. And don’t forget to come out and audition for Grease! We need your talents for many aspects of this production. If you’ve never been to an audition, we invite you to come and watch. You’ll see some great performers and have a good time – for free!
Later this year we’ll be posting our slate for next season, have our annual meeting, and host our volunteer picnic. Join us!
Jeff Wilson – President
Taconic Press Recognizes CP
The weekly news magazine Taconic Weekend has recently listed its top 10 productions of 2002. County Players’ production of ‘night Mother by Marsha Norman and directed by Rachel Cassidy has earned a place on that list. CP is honored to be ranked with some of the many fine production companies in the Hudson Valley including Vassar Powerhouse Theater, Rhinebeck Theater Society, and Gilbert and Sullivan Musical Theater Company, among others.