Curtain Call: Fall flood of drama

From left: Cierra Cellerari, Jamie Alderiso, and Luke Brady are among the cast of New Shorts at Wilkes University.

Fall flood of drama at local colleges, universities

Students take center stage at King’s, Wilkes, Univeristy of Scranton and Marywood

Little Shop of Horrors, King’s College
A cast of 14 students will take the stage in the King’s College Theatre Department production of Little Shop of Horrorsopening Oct. 4. The doo-wop musical by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken follows an awkward floral assistant named Seymour Krelborn (Nick Klem) as he becomes a celebrity of sorts after discovering an exotic new carnivorous plant (voiced by Lukas Tomasacci).

Rehearsing for the King’s Collge production of Little Shop of Horrors are front row, from left: Nick Klem and Margaret Callan (Audrey). Back row, from left: Elizabeth Montgomery (Chiffon), Ruthly Cadestin (Crystal), and Jamie Costello.

Popular songs include “Skid Row (Downtown)”, “Somewhere That’s Green”, and “Suddenly, Seymour.”
Shows Thursday through Saturday begin at 7:30 p.m. in the George P. Maffei II Theatre in the Administration Building off North River Street. A matinee on Oct. 7 is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. Tickets are $12 or only $7 for students and seniors.
Call the box office at 208-5825 for reservations or email boxoff@kings.edu for more information.

New Shorts, Wilkes University
Three directors will share the reigns of this weekend’s Wilkes University theater department production. It’s not as excessive as it sounds when you consider that New Shorts calls for 19 actors to perform in seven different one-act plays. Pieces in the Israel Horovitz collection include Bridal Dance, Affection in Time, Beirut Rocks, The Audition Play, Cat-Lady, Inconsolable, and The Race Play. In addition to directing, associate professor Naomi Baker is also acting in the show. The other directors are associate professor Joseph Dawson and Director of Theatre at Wilkes, Teresa Fallon.
According to a release from the school, “The Audition Play sees a middle-aged housewife trying to reclaim her youthful dreams of being an actress, while Beirut Rocks takes its inspiration from the 2006 Lebanon War.” Because the audience will share the stage with the players in an effort to “heighten the emotional intimacy,” seating is limited. Reservations are suggested.
Shows will be presented at the Dorothy Dickson Darte Center for the Performing Arts at 84 W. South St., Wilkes-Barre. Performances run Thursday through Saturday at 8 p.m. and on Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets are $15 or $10 for Wilkes alumni and only $5 for seniors and students. Current Wilkes students will be admitted free with valid ID. Call 408-4540 for reservations or 408-4431 for more information.

Prelude to a Kiss, University of Scranton

Prelude to a Kiss

Scranton native Bob E. Gasper returns to The University of Scranton once again to direct the Players 2012-2013 season opener, Prelude to a Kiss. The popular romantic comedy by Craig Lucas follows a couple to their wedding day when a kiss from a mysterious old man (John McInerney) changes everything. Previously Gasper staged A Year with Frog and Toad, Stephen Karam’s Speech and Debate, and columbinus.
Thirteen students appear in the cast including Cillian Byrne, Cristin Carroll, Latrel Citizen, Bob Eckweiler, Kelly Dillon, Catherine Fischer, and locals Allie Bauer, Kiley Lotz, Jeremiah Mullen, James Pennington, Joe McGurl, Camille Reinecke, and James Shygelski.
The two weekend run opening Sept. 28 offers shows on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and on Sundays at 2 p.m. The Royal Theater is located in The McDade Center for Literary and Performing Arts at the top of Linden Street. Tickets are $10 or $7 for students and seniors. Call 941-4318 for reservations or for more information

Proof, Marywood University
Former Electric Theatre Company ensemble member Mary Ethel Schmidt will direct David Auburn’s Pulitizer Prize-winning play Proofat Marywood University this weekend. The small cast drama finds a depressed young woman still coping with the death of her “brilliant, but unstable” father on the eve of her 25th birthday. How much of the famous mathematician’s genius has she inherited? And how much of his madness? In addition to the student cast, professional actor Jerry Durkin also appears in the show. Performances will be held in the Sette LaVerghetta Center for the Performing Arts on Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and on Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets range from $7 to 10. Call 340-6097 for reservations or for more information.