CTC's New Season:'Class-Act' Features
Comedy, drama, farce, and a Gershwin musical are on the 1997-1998 schedule for CTC Theater Live of East Hampton. This will be the company's 16th season of community theater. Vaughan Allentuck, one of the co-founders of the company, is the new president of the CTC board of directors. Ms. Allentuck said earlier this week that she didn't expect any big changes in the company's direction; rather, CTC will continue to present "class-act plays" in new productions.
The 1997-98 season kicks off on Nov. 7 with Neil Simon's "Barefoot in the Park," to be followed in January by the Tennessee Williams drama "The Glass Menagerie," and in February by Jack Sharkey's farce "The Murder Room," described as a "hilarious murder mystery."
Tried And True
This year's spring musical selection is "Crazy for You," the revival of George and Ira Gershwin's 1930 show "Girl Crazy." "Crazy for You" received the 1992 Tony Award for Best Musical.
Barbara Bolton will direct "The Glass Menagerie," while the other three shows will be supervised by CTC's resident director, Serena Seacat. As in past years, all will be presented at the John Drew Theater at Guild Hall.
Earlier this week, Ms. Seacat described the attractions of working with tried-and-true material. Al though many people may have seen "Barefoot in the Park" or "Girl Crazy" in previous incarnations, she noted that "new actors bring something fresh and new to a production, and when the play is good, the audience sees it in a whole new way."
Two Special Events
Ms. Seacat has earned particular praise for her direction of musicals, such as last season's lavish staging of "Anything Goes," for which a number of the players learned, under Ms. Seacat's tutelage, to tap-dance.
The director is looking forward to this spring's "Crazy for You," which she predicts will present similar challenges and rewards. "It's good for actors to have to stretch their talents to the limit," she said.
The company is planning two fund-raising events this season. A Dec. 7 Jolly Holly Brunch, at Della Femina restaurant on North Main Street, will provide an opportunity for CTC to honor people who have worked with the company for a long time, or who have assisted with its mission over the years. Last year's honoree was Deedee Windust, CTC's first and only president until this year.
On Feb. 8, at Bobby Van's in Bridgehampton, For the Love of Theater, an evening of dinner and cabaret, will showcase musical selections from each of CTC's spring productions, featuring performances by original cast members.
Information on ticket sales, season subscriptions, and tickets to the two fund-raising events can be obtained by calling CTC Theater Live.