Will Broadway star Mona Monroe, played by Kayla Perez, left, of Greentown, be the ‘angel’ needed to finance the next production for Director Dick Foster, played by Camron Altenhain, right, of Moosic?
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Kelly Jean Graham, choreographer and Scranton Shakespeare Festival company member, led a dance audition etiquette workshop for Act Out Theatre Group’s summer teen intensive camp. From left, are Dennis Lee, Larksville; Graham; Anne Doherty, Dunmore; Macie Bennett, Throop; Z Davitt, Archbald; Miguel Rodriguez, Scranton; and Camron Altenhain, Moosic.
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Erin McLaughlin of Sweet Valley plays Ma Sugar, one of the not-so-threatening-hoods in “Little Red and the Hoods”. “Little Red and the Hoods” is an interactive children’s play that will take place on Saurday, Aug. 6 at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. at the Slope Amphitheater in Pittston. Tickets can be purchased at www.actouttheatre.com.
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PITTSTON — Act Out Theatre Group, Dunmore, will heading back to The Slope Amphitheater for two weekends of performances on Saturday, July 30, Sunday, July 31, Saturday, Aug. 6 and Sunday, Aug. 7.
“We are so excited to be returning to Pittston for our ‘Act Outside series,’” said Dan Pittman, artistic director of Act Out Theatre Group. “Everyone in the town is so welcoming and the amphitheater is a fantastic location.
Act Out Theatre Group will present a selection of 13, 10-minute musicals on at 2:00 p.m. on July 30 and July 31 at the Slope Amphitheater at 47 Broad St. in Pittston. Tickets for the 10-minute-musicals are $10.00.
The musicals are the result of a two-week summer intensive teen camp held at the theatre. The 13 campers, ranging in age from 11 to 16, each directed one musical and will perform in four others.
“Camp has honestly been so fun,” Sophia Tomasino, of Shavertown, said. “I’ve loved every second of it… directing my own show was most definitely tricky at times, but it showed me a different part of acting that I would say made me more experienced because now I know more of how to fix things on my own.”
In addition to campers working on their musicals, they also took part in two master classes with company members from the Scranton Shakespeare Festival.
Kelly Jean Graham and Gianna Porfano instructed the campers on dance auditions and vocal performance, respectively. Participants learned a dance combination and received individualized feedback on a song they’d been rehearsing.
“These classes were honestly such an amazing experience and I loved that I got the opportunity to experience them,” Z Davitt, of Archbald, said. “The dance audition etiquette class with Kelly Jean Graham was so incredibly fun because even if I didn’t know the choreography completely, it still made me feel so confident in myself.
“Gianna Porfano taught me so much about the emotion that should be put into a song,” Davitt continued. “I like how she took time after everyone’s song to give them notes on what they could improve on and then she had them run it again.”
Act Out Theatre Group will return to the amphitheater for a variety of performances Aug. 6 at 7:00 p.m. and Aug. 7at 2:00 p.m., participants in the theatre’s free summer workshop will perform “Give My Regards to Broadway,” featuring the music of George M. Cohen. Tickets for the musical are $15.00. This is the first year the theatre will be holding a free summer workshop.
“It’s important to me to offer as many different performance opportunities as I can to the community,” Pittman said. “Since I just celebrated five years owning Act Out, a free workshop sounded like a great way to celebrate.”
According to Pittman, moving forward he would like to have a free or reduced-cost workshop every summer.
Camron Altenhain, of Moosic, will have the lead role in “Give My Regards to Broadway,” spending most of his time on stage.
“One of the exciting things that came from ‘Give My Regards to Broadway’ was meeting new people and making new friendships,” Altenhain said. With the help of the cast and crew, they really brought this musical to life and made it energetic.”
On Aug. 6 at 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m., adult cast members will put on the interactive children’s play, “Little Red and the Hoods.” The play allows audience members to participate and teaches some valuable lessons along the way. Tickets for “Little Red and the Hoods” are $5.00.
Act Outside finishes out at The Slope on Sunday, Aug. 7 at 7:00 p.m. with a benefit cabaret featuring singing and acting. Partial proceeds will be donated to Griffin Pond Animal Shelter. Tickets for the benefit cabaret are $15. Tickets for all events can be purchased at www.actouttheatre.com. Questions can be sent to info@actouttheatre.com.
