logoIn the Wings
The Newsletter of The Concord Players
March 2016                                          Robert Runck, Editor
Cast, crew and set of Proof
ANNUAL MEETING COMING UP
The annual meeting of The Concord Players will  be held on Sunday, March 20 at 7 p.m. at 51 Walden. Join us for refreshments, updates on the year, voting for new officers, announcement of the slate of plays for the coming year, and a little entertainment. Hope to see you there!

KIRSTEN GOULD
The Concord Players' founder, Louisa May Alcott, was a woman whose mettle was tested throughout her life. She supported her family through years of financial privation, nursed injured soldiers in the Civil War, frequently walked from Concord to Boston and back again, and wrote abundantly. Her literary legacy is worldwide, and the little dramatic society she founded continues to flourish all these years later as a robust community theater, The Concord Players.
    The Players' season ends this spring with a production of Peter Shaffer's Amadeus, directed by a woman whose achievements we've no doubt Miss Alcott would admire.
Kirsten Gould is a director of prodigious talent. As a performer, choreographer, director and teacher, she understands how the many facets of a production connect to make a cohesive whole. "Even though I enjoyed playing roles of all sizes, I found that I was always contemplating all aspects of a production," she says. "I would decide what I liked... and what I would have done differently. I loved the idea of presenting a story to an audience and staging the action from their point of view. Working with actors to help them discover and develop their characters is particularly rewarding. So directing became my very favorite way to be involved in theatre."
    Partial to musicals, Gould chose Amadeus because she feels "it is simply one of the finest plays of the 20th century. The characters of Mozart and his nemesis, Salieri, are both incredibly compelling. It is a well-crafted drama that tells a cautionary tale of the power of jealousy, an emotion understood by all. Along with its very dramatic moments, there are moments of delicious humor--and there is music--an entire soundtrack of thrilling music. It has everything!"
    Few directors pour themselves so fully and passionately into a show the way Gould does, and when you hear her talk about drama, it's easy to understand why. "Drama is like poetry," says Kirsten. "It has to condense the events of a story into an evening's performance. And it is always thrilling to see the creative ways these shortcuts or passages of time can occur on stage through artistic devices like musical numbers, creative staging, or lighting. The entire art of theatre moves me."
    Kirsten has directed eight shows for The Concord Players, chalking up an impressive number of awards from the Eastern Association of Community Theaters, The New England Regional Festival and the American Association of Community Theaters. In 2004, her production of 1776 brought audiences to their feet every night, and enjoyed an extended run at John Adams National Park and Faneuil Hall in Boston. She paid worthy homage to the majesty of Leonard Bernstein's West Side Story in 2008, garnering a best musical DASH award, and yet another best musical DASH for her most recent Player's production, The Sound of Music.
    Kirsten recently retired from the Fenn School in Concord where she served as long-time Drama Director and Arts Department Chair. Upon her departure, the all-boys institution expressed its gratitude by putting her name on the new stage in their Ward Hall performance venue.
    Amadeus has begun rehearsals and will open on April 29. Tickets are on sale now at concordplayers
PROOF OF SUCCESS
It's not easy to entice people out of their cozy, warm homes on cold winter nights. But 1,280 people did just that, and they are better for it. Proof, our winter show, was a small drama with just four people, but it had huge presence. The acting was mesmerizing, with the direction by Nancy Curran Willis making each character sympathetic. The stunning set by Allen Bantly was a realistic rendering of the back porch and yard of a lived-in home. Opening night's Gala featured a plethora of homemade treats and heart-shaped cookies, courtesy of the mothers and daughters of the National Charity League. Judging from the enthusiastic comments heard after the show, those who came were well pleased with their decision to venture out and experience this satisfying piece of theater.



SHOW BUS

The London Show Bus takes to the skies on Sunday. The group will be taking in six shows, attending discussions with cast members, touring theaters, galleries and a costume studio, and as well enjoying the sights, sounds and tastes of London. We can't wait to hear all about it when they return.

PLAYERS NEWS
Do you still believe? Then come out to the Open Door Theater this coming April 1-10, and fly off to the Neverland of Peter Pan! This musical fairy tale classic will be presented in the Dragonfly Theater at the R. J. Grey Junior High School in Acton MA, and will include an ASL-interpreted matinee, a sensory-friendly matinee, and an audio-described evening performance. The cast of nearly 90 will feature a number of Concord Players, in such roles as Captain Hook (Craig Howard), Smee (Joshua Wright), and, in Hook's crew, Starkey (Brian Kelly) and Mullins (Michael Ciccolella). Tickets are available at opendoortheater And yes ... Peter and the Darling children WILL fly!
Players Paul Murphy, Boot Boutwell, Stacy Kernweis, Rachael Rabinovitz and Webb Tilney are performing in Book of Days at Burlington Players through March 12. Go to burlingtonplayers
    Concord Players appearing in The Weston Friendly Society's production of the Sondheim musical Company include Jason Dick (Bobby), Doug Gerber (Peter), Cathy Merlo (Joanne), and Amanda Casale (Kathy). Performances are the first two weekends in March. For tickets go to westonfriendly
    One of our Follies alumnae, Lisa Tierney, will appear as Sister Sarah in the Barre Players production of the musical classic, Guys & Dolls!  Performances March 11-20. For information, go to barreplayerstheater
Now appearing at The Wellesley Players in that racy musical The Full Monty are former Players Jenn Bubriski and Amy DeMarco! The one remaining weekend of performances is March 4-6! Go to wellesleyplayers

The Powder House Jazz Quintet
CLUB-51 WALDEN EVENT
Club-51 with the Powder House Jazz Quintet, Janet Casey, vocalist, on March 12 at 8 p.m. Dancing, table seating, cash bar and refreshments. Tickets $25. This is a special event to benefit the operation of 51 Walden. Call 978-369-7911 or purchase tickets on-line