Greetings Players!

Next Season’s plays have been announced, and we have something for everyone. The fall production will be Off The Hook, a brand new comedy, directed by Joseph Zamparelli Jr., which runs Nov. 10-25. Our winter show is Arthur Miller’s moving drama, The Price, directed by Jim Murphy; production dates are Feb. 9-24. The season will conclude with the riotous classic costume drama, Sheridan’s The Rivals, directed by Marcie Campbell, which will be performed May 4-12. Well, we have our plays, we have our directors, but what we don’t have yet are producers! We would like to have three producers for each show; two experienced ones, and a neophyte who will learn the ropes under the tutelage of the other two. This is a great way to train new producers, and spreads the work load around so that no one is overwhelmed. If you are interested in producing any of these shows, please email Marlene Mandel at marleneman@aol.com. If you’ve never produced before, please consider jumping in and learning how. You’ll find it rewarding.

Be sure to come join the fun at the Spring Frolic on Sunday, June 4, at 7:03 and 1/4 PM. We will be entertained by spoofs on our past season, dine on delicious strawberry shortcake, and have a chance to socialize and enjoy the scintillating company of fellow Players. It promises to be a delightful evening. Bring your own box supper , bring a friend, and BYOB (ice, beer, wine, and soft drinks provided).

Anyone interested in being a part of the glamorous world of publicity and advertising for the Concord Players, please email Stefanie Cloutier at scaruso3@ix.netcom.com. Opportunities abound to get involved from the ground up, working with the producers to develop a solid advertising plan within budgetary guidelines, and to brainstorm new ideas to promote each production. Contact Stefanie for more information.

The EMACT awards banquet will take place on Friday, June 23, at 7:00 PM at the Woburn Country Club. The cost is $30 per person. If you want to attend, call Harriet Friedman at 781-891-5528 for reservations.

Pamela Sturgis wants to thank everyone who bought the official Our Town fund-raiser note cards and sweatshirts. The cast’s sweatshirt was nice, too, but the proceeds from the official one and the cards went straight to the Players coffers: $864! Anyone who buys the last two sweatshirts (1 medium and 1 small) will be donating $20 to the Players and keeping two someones comfy in style. She still has a limited supply of the popular Our Town note cards: 1 pack of 8 cards, $6; for members only - 2 packs, $10. Plus FREE home delivery. Email Pamela at : scaruso3@ix.netcom.com to place your order.

It’s not too late for you to sign up for the Showbus! It departs on Friday, June 2, for a great night of theater. Join us in applauding Stephen Collins (known of late as the Stage Manager in Our Town) in Unlaunch’d Voices...An Evening With Walt Whitman, written and directed by Michael Z. Keamy. Ticket plus bus transport from 51 Walden St., Concord, to the Brimmer Street Studio Theatre, 69 Brimmer St., Boston, is $26. Make checks payable to the Concord Players, Inc., and mail to Dorothy Schecter, 187 Partridge Lane, Carlisle, MA 01741. The show starts at 8:00 PM, the bus will leave promptly at 6:50 PM. The play depicts the art and times of America’s greatest poet through slides, poetry, and Whitman’s own words. This should be a wonderful and entertaining evening.

As you probably know, we had a very successful fund raiser to make major repairs and renovations to our facility. The most pressing issue is the replacement of the rigging, which will take place this summer. However, before the new rigging can be installed, the old rigging must be removed, and we need about 8 or 9 volunteers to help take it down. This is tentatively scheduled this to take place on Saturday, June 17th. If you can help with this, or have questions, please email Rick Shamel at rshamel@gis.net. If you’d like to help but can’t come on the 17th, email him anyway, as this date may change.

Another area that needs attention is our stage floor, which is in bad condition. Fortunately, we have been given a grant to apply toward fixing it. We are looking for ideas on how best to accomplish this repair. If you would like to be involved in planning what work needs to be done, please contact Artty Kinsman at artcor68@earthlink.net.

Congratulations to Jean Devine, who is getting married on June 3. We wish her and her new husband every happiness!

Jackson Royal will be playing the role of Seth Lord in the Wellesley College Summer Theater production of Philadelphia Story. Performances run Thursday through Saturday (including Sat. matinees and evenings), June 8th through 24th.

Lida McGirr was recently part of two staged readings: one at the Memorial Abbot Theatre in Waltham and the other as part of the Ritalin New Play Series at the Theatre Coop in Somerville.

Some of the members of the Shakespeare Study Group 2000 (Brenda Peskin, Mike Gowing, Judith Broggi, Pamela Dritt, Gisele Ganz and Lida McGirr) are busy preparing a short program to be presented after the open board meeting at the Hovey Players in Waltham on June 17 at 6:00 PM or so. Join them for a few laughs and refreshments after the show.

Here’s a message from Corinne Kinsman: “A lot of you know that our son, John, and his friends formed a production company in NYC. They just got their web site up, and I thought some of you might like to take a look at it. The web site is: www.ringoffireproductions.org.”

Pat Kane just returned from spending a month in Cameroon visiting her daughter, who is in the Peace Corps there. Pat had a great time, and has some good stories to tell. Ask to see her pictures!

That’s all the news for now! Please send your news to me at: Sara Ballard, at sara@sb.org. The next newsletter deadline is June 20.