Aging Actors On Stage in Somers

From the Daily Somers:
“We’re a theater group like no other,” said John Gee, president of the Heritage Hills Community Theater in Somers. “Our community is unique. The average age of our actors is late 70’s.”
Heritage Hills began in the 1970‘s as a development for “over-50’s.” Although the criterion no longer applies, many residents are retirees.
The group performs twice a year. The current play is “Morning’s At Seven,” produced on Broadway three times beginning in 1939. The Heritage Hills production proves that the play is still charming and relevant. The story of four midwestern sisters who are neighbors has garnered nearly two dozen theater awards over the years.



Read the complete story posted on June 11 in the Daily Somers, Aging Actors Fulfill Dreams on Stage in Somers.



LINKS:
http://www.thedailysomers.com/news/aging-actors-fulfill-dreams-stage-somers

Kennedy Catholic and Somers High Receive 11 Nomination For Theater Awards

Kennedy Catholic High School in Somers, NY is nominated for seven High School Theater Awards for its spring 2011 production of On the Town, while Somers High School garners four nominations for the Drowsy Chaperone.  The Helen Hayes Youth Theatre makes the nominations for the “Metro” awards.  The Awards Ceremony is June 6, 2011, at the Paramount Center for the Arts, Peekskill NY.  Last year Kennedy Catholic won two Metro awards.  
Here are the categories in which each school is nominated:

Outstanding Actress in a Leading Role
Kennedy Catholic H.S. – On the Town – Kim Galaraga (Hildy Esterhazy)

Outstanding Duet
Kennedy Catholic H.S. – On the Town “Come Up to My Place”
Kim Galaraga (Hildy) and Anthony Ruperto (Chip)
Somers H.S. – The Drowsy Chaperone “Cold Feets”
Tom Oliverio (Robert) and Ricky Hvisch (George)

Outstanding Stage Crew
Kennedy Catholic H.S. – On the Town

Outstanding Dance Performance
Kennedy Catholic H.S.- On the Town- Jena Lynn DiFrisco (Ivy Smith)
Somers H.S. – The Drowsy Chaperone -  Emma Klipstein (Kitty)

Outstanding Orchestra
Kennedy Catholic H.S. – On the Town

Outstanding Instrumentalist
Kennedy Catholic H.S. – On the Town - RJ Aprile (Timpani)

Outstanding Stage Crew
Kennedy Catholic H.S. – On the Town

Outstanding Lighting Achievement
Somers H.S.- The Drowsy Chaperone - Bob Geronimo, Dominick Belmont

Outstanding Choreography
Somers H.S. – The Drowsy Chaperone - Linda Duci

Technical Merit Award (Teacher Nominated)
Kennedy Catholic H.S. – Christina Oros (Choreographer/Assistant Director)


Created in 1998, the High School Theater Awards shine a spotlight on the exceptional musical theater productions, talented actors and actresses and devoted creative teams who take to the stage every spring in local high schools. High Schools in Rockland and Westchester Counties in New York and Bergen County in New Jersey are invited to participate in this competition.
Throughout the spring musical season, judges evaluate participating shows. In June, all of the participating schools are celebrated in an awards ceremony modeled after Broadway's Tony Awards. Broadway stars hand out the awards, top nominated schools and actors perform live, and the theater students in our region receive support and recognition.


For more information see the High School Theater Awards web site.  A full list of the 2011 nominees is here.



LINKS:
http://www.hstheaterawards.com/index.html
http://www.hstheaterawards.com/docs/2011_noms.pdf

Photo Op: SHS Cast Photo - The Drowsy Chaperone

Cast photo of Somers High School Students From Production Of The Drowsy Chaperone In March 2011

Photo courtesy of 4 Son's Photography & Digital Imaging.  See 60 more photos from the production at the 4 Son's Photography web site.

LINKS:

http://www.4sonsphotography.com

Photo Op: Cast Photo Kennedy Catholic

Cast photo of Kennedy Catholic Players from production of On The Town

More photos at the school's web site as well as kennedycatholic's photostream on flickr.

LINKS:

http://kennedycatholic.org/2011/03/the-curtain-has-closed/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kennedycatholic/

Dick Smith Receives Acting Award

The Eastern States Theatre Association awarded Dick Smith of Somers its Outstanding Acheivement in Acting award for his performance as Ralph in Dearth of a Salesman, a two-person play written by Albi Gorn and staged by Hand-To-Mouth Players. Smith is described as a “fixture of Westchester community theater for more than a generation” in LoHud.com’s theater blog. The Eastern States Theatre Association is an association of community theaters in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and the District of Columbia. The award is part of the Association’s Festival in May 2010. Hand-To-Mouth Players is a community theater group that has produced plays in and about Westchester County for over 48 years. Auditions for Move Over, Mrs. Markham are scheduled for August 29 and 31 as well as September 2, with performances expected in October and November.

The LoHud blog entry about the about the award is here.

The web site Hand-To-Mouth Players is here.

LINKS:

http://www.htmplayers.com/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Hand-to-Mouth-Players/136947421245

http://theater.lohudblogs.com/

IMAGE

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=3810039&id=136947421245&ref=fbx_album#!/photo.php?pid=3810040&id=136947421245&ref=fbx_album&fbid=248835481245