xml:lang=”en” lang=”en” xmlns=”http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml”>

The Lyric Stage Company of Boston Announces “Lyric First Stage” Wonderful Town and Macbeth Summer 2006 Teen Theatre Program and Performances

Boston, MA (PRWEB) July 29, 2006

After its successful inaugural year last summer, The Lyric Stage Company of Boston announces its second 5-week intensive summer theatre training program for teens, called Lyric First Stage. Led by actor and director Peter Carey, Lyric First Stage 2006 presents public performances of Leonard Bernstein’s musical Wonderful Town and Shakespeare’s Macbeth August 9-13 at The Lyric Stage Company, 140 Clarendon Street in Boston’s Back Bay. Tickets are $ 7 for students and $ 10 for adults, and are available by calling The Lyric Stage Company’s box office at 617.585.5678.

Lyric First Stage’s mission is to create an environment where, with professional mentors, a company of enthusiastic teens can explore ideas through text, music and movement, and refine their confidence and artistry in a series of workshops and a repertory theatre production experience. This summer, in addition to offering the acting emphasis, Lyric First Stage expanded with a second: stage management. The 2006 program includes 23 teenagers from over a dozen Massachusetts cities and professional staff including Peter Carey, Michael Byrne and Karen Gahagan. Program Director Peter Carey explains “I don’t know of a program that challenges young people in the way we are able to. The sense of community that is inherent in the work we do shows in the actors’ work both on and off stage.”

Lyric First Stage workshops include the areas of musical theatre and Shakespeare and focus on group ensemble work, musical theatre, text interpretation, scene work, song interpretation, audition workshop, musical sight reading and stage management. By working in teams and with theatre professionals, the students learn to develop skills in performance and production including the collaborative process with directors, designers and technicians. “We are thrilled to have Peter Carey directing this program,” says Lyric Stage Company Managing Director Sara Glidden. “His energy and passion for theatre inspire all of the participants.”

Celebrating the dichotomy of musical theatre and Shakespeare, Michael Byrne (Associate Program Director) explains, “The infectious fun of a musical is brought into the process of working on Shakespeare–and the precision of a beautiful language-focused Shakespeare play is realized in the musical. Both are celebrations of language and relationships. Participating in one–makes the other stronger.”

Student Participants in the 2006 Lyric First Stage Acting and Stage Management

Lauren Adleman of Arlington

John-Michael Breen of Chelmsford

Audrey Borgeson of Somerville *

Karen Dahl of Newton *

Julie DiGiusto of Braintree

Lisa DiGiusto of Braintree

James Durga of Greenville, MI

Stephanie Feinberg of Westwood

Stephen Flaherty of Braintree (Returning)

Gabe Frieden of Cambridge

Sam Game of Cohasset

Kira Jorgensen of Lexington                    

Elizabeth Kendrick of Boston

Ariel Kraakman of Cambridge

Julia Mandel-Folly of Newton

Renee Marrone of East Boston

Justin Nichols of Tewksbury

Siobhan Nolan of Elmhurst, IL

Jordan Sawyers of Jamaica Plain

Franz Schneider of Cambridge

Rachel Stubblefield-Tave of Newton *

Sam Wartenberg of Milton

Zachary Winston of Milton

Denotes return teens from 2005

Lyric First Stage 2006 Summer Performance Schedule

Wonderful Town                     

-Wednesday, August 9, 7:30 p.m.    

-Friday, August 11, 7:30 p.m.    

-Saturday, August 12, 2:00 p.m.

MacBeth    

-Thursday, August 10, 7:30 p.m.

-Saturday, August 12, 7:30 p.m.

-Sunday, August 13, 2:00 p.m.

Wonderful Town, the delightful tale of two sisters, features a dazzling score by Leonard Bernstein, Betty Comden and Adolph Green. The book, written by Joseph Fields and Jerome Chodorov takes Ruth and Eileen, fresh off the bus from Ohio to follow their dreams, find love and take New York by storm. William Shakespeare’s Macbeth takes place in a world torn by war in which treachery, ambition and superstition rule. In the wake of a battle, the Scottish warrior Macbeth receives the prophecy that he shall be king. Lyric First Stage’s pilot program in 2005 presented Once On This Island (book and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens and music by Stephen Flaherty) and Shakespeare’s The Tempest.

The Lyric Stage Company, led by Producing Artistic Director, Sprio Veloudos (recent recipient of The Elliot Norton Prize for Sustained Excellence), was awarded a 2006 Elliot Norton Award for Janie Howland’s Outstanding Design for its productions Urinetown: The Musical and Talley’s Folley. “I am thrilled that Lyric First Stage has been so successful,” says Veloudos. “Since its inception, the program has been designed to give the young aspiring theatre artist the experience of working in a professional setting. Peter, Michael and Karen’s work with the students is both exemplary and inspiring. I also commend Managing Director Sara Glidden’s care of and commitment to the continuing growth of this program. ”

More information, high resolution images and select interviews available. Please contact Marketing and Public Relations Director, Ami Bennitt, 617.585.5685.

CONTACT:

Ami Bennitt, Director of Marketing and Public Relations, 617.585.5685

###

©Copyright 1997-, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

More Teenager Lyrics Press Releases