Barrington Community Theatre has Eight Plays This Weekend!

Well I've been blogging for a few weeks, so I guess it is time for a shameless promotion. For the last 10 years in my spare time(???!) I have been running a theatre program in Barrington. And this weekend we will put on our 45th session of plays. We have put on more than 500 plays since I started this program by accident. This program, run by the Town of Barrington, is as far as I know unique to Barrington. People have told me many times that this program was why they moved here and some why they have stayed here.

Our next shows are Friday and Saturday at the Barrington Library auditorium, and 50 Barrington residents are involved in eight plays. I will have more to say about the program on another day and what it has meant to myself and the 650+ students who have participated, but this blog is about the plays this weekend that you should go see. Or if you have kids, you should do our camp, in its 10th year at the high school this summer.

Our camp is the most fun in the world you can have in an air-conditioned room for a theatre kid. The program combines teaching and play, performance and directing, and gives students more opportunities to be leads than any other program. This summer we will put on 16 to 20 different plays! We have for each of the last 10 summers, at 50 to 70 percent of what other programs charge. More for non-residents of Barrington.

It is all fine and wonderful to be a lead supported by others in a small part. What a boost to a child's self esteem. But it is often more important that in the next play your child has one line and supports others.  This is what builds character and prepares them for the real world (espcially if they plan  a life in theatre).

By spreading out the leads, more kids learn the lesson not only how to be a lead, but what it is to be a small part to support others. That is what makes our camp different and special. My father was a camp director of an overnight camp with 1,100 campers and a past president of the American Camping Association. I spent 12 summers at that camp. He ran a great camp, but the staff and campers were often angry with him for making the hard parental decisions that had to be made.  Over the years I have had to also. So I know he would be very proud of me and proud of this camp. He always said camps are a community, a family. And our family is very special.

Below is a list of the shows and times. Tickets will sell out, so contact me if you need tickets. Come see the kids and be impressed.

The Barrington Community Theater’s Spring Session play festival will be held at the library auditorium on Friday, June 3, and Saturday, June 4. Come out and support more than 40 local students performing in eight one-act plays. Tickets are $5 for students and seniors and $8 for adults. Shows start at 7 p.m. each night.  All show times are approximate. Any questions, contact Reid Eighme at 401-323-5480, or Joel Hellmann at 401-433-2323.

Friday, June 3

"A Midsummer Night’s Dream"

By William Shakespeare

Starts at 7:00

Cast:

Evan Weinstein

Alie Teitz

Jack Armstrong

Natalie Tisler

Jared Remson

Symmi Auber

Jonathan Nelligan

Emma Freel

Spike Hecker

Amy Harff

Eli Kelly

Nicole Demopoulos

Anna Bordarenko

Jordan Barney

Casey Turgeon

Jane Amerdolara

"Sideways Stories from the Wayside School"

By Louis Sachar and John Oliva

Starts at 7:50

Cast:

Conor Ridlon

Jack Armstrong

Symmi Auber

Alexy Carolan

Emma Freel

Spike Hecker

Mani Lyles

Allie Ray

Amy Harff

"The Choosers in Platerville"

By Alan Haehnel

Starts at 8:30

Cast:

Jordan Barney

Slade Crane

Elizabeth Felag

Brendan Ridlon

Read Ruddick

Tea Bishop

Neelia Abadi

Jillian Lombardi

Brit Bennet

Elena Serrano

Natalie Tisler

Ella Kuckes

Alie Tietz

Gabby Duquette

"Murder Me Always"

By Lee Mueller

Starts at 9:30

Cast:

Mary Kate DeRiso

Elizabeth Felag

Jared Remson

Brendan Ridlon

Ella Kuckes

Jordan Barney

Mani Lyles

Tim Gamache

Conor Ridlon

Brit Bennet

Tara Stein

Saturday, June 4

"Lockers"

By Jeremy Kruse

Starts at 7:00

Cast:

Neelia Abadi

Jillian Lombardi

Jane Amendolara

Nicole Demopoulos

Evan Weinstein

Gabrielle Ellicott

Eli Kelly

Slade Crane

Alexy Carolan

Alie Teitz

Ella Kuckes

Anna Bondarenko

Paul Bondarenko

Madeline Durkin

Read Ruddick

Mary Kate Deriso

Connor McDermott

Ryan Brobonsky

"15 Reasons Not to Do A Play"

By Alan Haehnel

Starts at 7:55

Cast:

Abby Hurley

Nick Felag

Ian Buffum

Allie Ray

Elana Serrano

Amanda Steckler

Madeline Durkin

Slade Crane

Gabby Duquette

Connor McDermott

Paul Bondarenko

"Mrs. Haper’s Bazaar"

By Babette Hughes

Starts at 8:45

Cast:

Sara Hellmann

Casey Turgeon

Natalie Tisler

Madeline Durkin

Tara Stein

Amanda Steckler

Allie Ray

Elizabeth Felag

"Almost Maine"

By John Cariani

Starts at 9:30

Cast:

Abby Hurlet

Ian Buffum

Mani Lyles

Sara Hellmann

Conor Ridlon

Amy Harff

Katie Buffum

Tim Gamache

Lindsey Daugherty

Nick Felag

Evan Weinstein