Village Theatre Announces Season of Performances
October 10, 2006
Contact: Troy Siebels (781) 640-5625

Village Theatre Project will launch its series of 2005 - 2006 “On-Tour” performances on Saturday, October 29, at Oak Hill Country Club in Fitchburg, according to Co-Artistic Director Troy Siebels. The one-night-only performance, titled “The Harvest,” will feature members of the new professional theatre’s Company of Artists, a 20-member ensemble that includes many of Boston’s most accomplished actors and singers.

“The evening will be a selection of songs and scenes ‘harvested’ from some of Boston’s most popular performances of the last few years,” explains Christopher Chew, who acts as the theatre’s Co-Artistic Director along with Siebels, and who will direct, as well as perform in, the event. One of Boston’s most popular leading men, Mr. Chew is currently starring in “Urinetown - the Musical” at the Lyric Stage Co. of Boston; other recent credits include leading roles at many major Boston theatres, including “The Sound of Music” at Wheelock Family Theatre; “A Little Night Music,” “Spitfire Grill,” “Sideshow” and “Sunday in the Park With George” at Lyric Stage; “Johnny Guitar” and “The Wild Party” at Speakeasy Stage.

Chew will perform several pieces including a selection from the Lyric Stage Company of Boston’s Sunday in the Park with George, for which both Chew and the theatre received rave reviews; Cheryl McMahon will reprise her show-stopping, critically-acclaimed performance from Overture Productions’ On The Twentieth Century. Sarah deLima, Julie Jirousek, Bill Mootos and Jennifer Valentine, all familiar faces from many recent Boston productions, will perform multiple selections.

In addition to musical works, the performance will include excerpts from the three plays developed by Village Theatre Project during its “Ashby Retreat” new works development intensive in July. Beth Gotha, who will open the following week in Speakeasy Stage Company’s Kiss of the Spider Woman, will revisit her portrayal of Sadie in Christine Hamel’s Bodies of Thought; Laura D. DeGiacomo, Ellen Peterson and Joe Upton will showcase scenes from Shawn Sturnick’s hysterical comedy Better Off Dead; and Anne Gottlieb will perform the title role in Janet Kenney’s Theresa At Home.

“It will be the perfect opportunity for us to celebrate some of the best moments from recent productions here in New England along with sharing the incredible pieces workshoped during this past summer’s Ashby Retreat,” said Chew. Village Theatre Project first debuted for Nashoba Valley audiences with a Grand Opening performance in June, to a standing-room-only audience and overwhelmingly positive reactions.

The “Village Theatre Project On-Tour” series will continue with “Home for the Holidays” December 10 at the Groton-Dunstable Performing Arts Center, and a “St. Patrick’s Day Celebration” on March 17 at the Groton Country Club. Each of the three events will be preceded by a reception where audiences can enjoy light hors d’oeuvres and drinks with the performers, and hear more about the theatre’s future plans. Tickets for each of the three events are $40 per person.

The theatre’s “Young Company” youth program is currently auditioning for all roles in its own musical adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, which will perform December 8-10 at the Groton-Dunstable Performing Arts Center.

To purchase tickets, or for more information about Village Theatre Project performances or youth programs, email info@villagetheatreproject.org or call (978) 456-7898.