Bristol Riverside Theatre

                                                 Jennifer Byrne  &  Timothy C. Goodwin

Bristol Riverside Theatre is live-streaming Singles in Agriculture, a play by Abby Rosebrock, for four nights only. Set on the last night of a yearly convention of single farmers, this production takes place in the bedroom of one of the males who has invited one of the females to his room. It is filmed in the  couples' real-life bedroom. Priscilla, ( Jennifer Byrne ) has come equipped with a bottle of alcohol and a paper cup and is perky, outgoing, and vivacious. Joel ( Timothy C. Goodwin) is quiet, withdrawn, and a fundamentalist Christian. As is discovered two thirds into the play, he is also a virgin. The play is captivating, particularly for its camera angles.  Priscilla and Joel move quite a bit both on and off the bed and the camera frequently changes the view. As Priscilla and Joel reveal more and more about their lives to each other, the play becomes increasingly compelling. The production will be live-streamed through January 30, 2021. Tickets are $30-$35. The tickets are available at www.brtstage.org  or by calling 215-785-0100.

Lantern Theater Company

                                                         Genevieve Perriere as Molly Sweeney

Brian Friel, sometimes referred to as the Irish Chekhov, was one of Ireland’s most beloved playwrights. Molly Sweeney is one of the last plays set in his fictitious small town near Donegal, Ireland.  It is being presented on demand by the Lantern Theater Company and will stream through February 14, 2021. The outstanding ensemble cast of Ian Merrill Peakes  (Frank Sweeney), Geneviève Perriere (Molly Sweeney), and Anthony Lawton (Mr. Rice) was filmed live in Lantern Theater’s home- St. Stephen’s Church theatre in Olde City Philadelphia. Thanks to  actor and playwright Michael P. Toner, who specializes in Irish theatre, the cast had an excellent dialogue coach.

What does it take to produce a play  from an award-winning playwright in this age of COVID-19?   According to Molly Sweeney’s director Peter De Laurier, “…3 weeks on Zoom, 2 weeks with double masks, distancing, transparent barriers, a constant flow of cold outside air and Testing! Testing! Testing!"

 Although blind since infancy, Molly’s life at 41 was a meaningful one. She had learned as a young girl how to navigate the world of the blind through touch and she was very adept. Her new husband was a bit of a drifter, unemployed, and eager to have Molly undergo surgery as his pet project and a way to give meaning to his life. The doctor, Mr. Rice, a washed up alcoholic, saw the surgery as a chance to revive his once formidable career. Molly Sweeney is in effect many monologues. At the end of each a fade out occurs before a new character’s monologue begins. The lighting on each character -  Molly, Mr. Rice and. Frank- is unique, causing the set behind to change color. The colors are matched to the characters’ clothes; the clothes are matched to their moods. Additional darker clothing is added near the finish. This is a stunning cooperative effort of Scenic Designer Nick Embree, Lighting Designer Janet Embree, and the Costume Designer Leigh Ivory Clark Paradise. Tickets for this supremely well-acted and thought-provoking production are only $20 per household and are available at www.lanterntheater.org or by calling 215-829-0395. Ticket buyers will receive an email with a private access link.

 

 

Villlanova Theatre

 

  
Villanova Theatre is presenting its first filmed musical, Songs for a New World, with music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown directed by alumna Kara Scaramazza. It will stream on demand January 28 – February 7 on Music International’s new platform,ShowTx4U. Rentals are available for 48 hours for $10.The actors have performed in isolation for all but the final number. Each of the songs in the revue-style Songs for a New World tells a self-contained story. Each one explores the central themes of freedom, change and adaptation in the face of fear. The musical speaks ultimately of resilience and how people can do the hard things working together. Villanova University is located on the Villanova University campus in the John and Joan Mullen Center for the Performing  Arts (Lancaster and Ithan Ave.) The performance will be seen on-line only. To purchase tickets, visit www.villanovatheatre.org or https://www.showtix4u.com/event-details/4328.   Questions about ticketing can be answered by Margo Raube , Performing Arts Coordinator at margo.raube@villanova.edu or 610-518-5006.

Paper Doll Ensemble

 

#SaveThe Dolls

On January 12, 2021, The Paper Doll Ensemble’s business page on Facebook was wrongfully disabled without any prospect of appeal. Paper Doll Ensemble, a local feminist  theatre collective, suspects this misunderstanding was fueled by the topic of their most recent Clubhouse discussion dealing with racism, The Cult of Trump, and how to combat the mindset of Qanon supporters.  They believe Facebook’s algorithm thought they were in support of these things when in fact they were in a dialogue to dismantle them. Their discussion group was created as part of their anti-racism plan. PDE External Relational Manager, Grace Hoffman says, “Theatre is our way to enact social change, but if we are censored in this way, we face a MAJOR hurdle in continuing to do so.”

Co-Founder Amanda Jensen comments, “If our content is deemed as breaking their code of conduct, we would be happy to remove it, but we are simply asking for that chance.”

The Paper Doll Ensemble was established in 2017 and redefines traditional stories of the female experience combining dance and visual art. For more visit https://paperdollensemble.com/