[Capdist-announce] Circle Theatre Players present "Smoke on theMountain" (May 15 - 17)

Tue May 12 16:34:23 EDT 2009

Circle Theatre Players present “Smoke On the Mountain”

This is the last weekend to enjoy the regional premiere of “Smoke On the
Mountain” at Circle Theatre Players in Averill Park, just 15 minutes from
downtown Albany and 30 minutes from downtown Schenectady. A special Saturday
afternoon matinee at 2:30pm has been added May 16th.  Other performances are
Friday, May 15 and Saturday. May 16th at 8pm and Sunday May 17th at 2:30pm.

You'll go back to a simpler time and place, 1938 in western North Carolina,
as you become a member of the congregation of Mount Pleasant Church where
laughter rolls in like the morning fog off the Blue Ridge Mountains.  Pastor
Mervin Oglethorpe, in an attempt to move his flock into the "modern world,"
has invited the Sanders Family Singers to the church's first ever Saturday
Night Sing.  You'll laugh till you cry, and then shed a tear or two as Burl
and Vera, their three children, and Burl's black sheep brother, Stanley,
share their stories and songs with you.  They'll delight you with some of
the best old time gospel tunes ever written as they sing and play their way
through the evening.  Your feet will start to tappin', your hands will start
to clappin', and you'll just have to sing along!

The score consists of almost thirty gospel tunes....a pleasant mixture of
energetic rousing numbers, plaintive hymns, and soulful praise songs.  The
songs vary from the well known, such as “Church in the Wildwood” and  "I'll
Fly Away," to the more obscure ones, such as "Filling Station" and
"Christian Cowboy."

Once you have experienced it, you'll understand why “Smoke On the Mountain”
is one of the most produced shows in the country.  It's totally beguiling
and wildly funny!

"Totally beguiling ... foot stomping soul food."-- N.Y. Post.

"Wildly funny.... So well written that I found myself laughing, rooting for
the family, and singing along and clapping with the rest of the audience."--
Trentonian.

"A sophisticated audience went simply wild."-- Philadelphia Daily News.

"A charming and funny celebration of Americana."---N.Y. Times.

This is the season finale for Circle Theatre Players of Averill Park as they
enter their 30th year producing award winning community theater. Tickets are
$19 and reservations can be made at 518-674-2007, charged on slca-ctp.org
and/or reserved on reservations at slca-ctp.org.  Circle Theatre Players
performs on stage at the Sand Lake Center for the Arts, located at 2880 NY
43, one half mile east of the blinking light in Averill Park, NY.

Bringing together this combination of music and story is a talented group of
artists who must sing, act and play acoustic instruments for your enjoyment.

A family affair........

Director CarolLynn Langley of Poestenkill, brings a long tradition of folk
music to the area and coordinates the Squire Jacob Concert Series at the
Sand Lake Center for the Arts. She and her husband, Gene, who plays the
black sheep of the family in Smoke and shares her love of folk music and
mountain dulcimer, perform and teach together in a variety of venues
including classrooms, historical societies, community events, summer camps,
and music festivals from VT to NC, and also coordinate two music festivals
and local jams.  Gene is a jack of all trades and was active in the
renovation of the new Sand Lake Center for the Arts as well as the new Old
Songs building in Voorheesville, NY.  CarolLynn has directed dramas for CTP,
but this is her first musical and here she has her hands in directing both
the music and the acting.  Gene's favorite role for CTP was Boo Radley, in
To Kill A Mockingbird.  Their extended family, children and grandchildren,
join them and work backstage in their productions, most recently in an
Agatha Christie mystery at CTP.

Returning to the stage......

Donald (D. J.) Stevens, Jr. of Defreestville, who plays the Pastor, is
currently a teacher at Watervliet Elementary after directing shows at
Algonquin Middle School in Averill Park.  He has appeared on CTP's stage in
“Over the River and Through the Woods” and “Love Coarse”, a one act play
that moved on to the TANYS (Theatre Association of New York State) festival
where D. J. won an Acting Award.

Another family affair......

Steve Keller of Averill Park, who plays the father in “Smoke”, has been a
musician since his teen age years and performed professionally in rock bands
and a country rock band.  This is his first acting experience.  His wife,
Susanne, is active at SLCA-CTP and behind the scenes in CTP productions.
His son, Peter, who plays one of the twins in “Smoke” began his theater
career in 2005 with CTP's Kids for Kids program.  A sophomore at Averill
Park High School, Peter has just completed “Romeo and Juliet” with Confetti
Stage and was one of the directors in their new play festival.  He played
Dill in “To Kill a Mockingbird”, which was also directed by CarolLynn.  His
primary love is music, he plays nearly ten different instruments, and
learned the mandolin for this production. 

The stage imitates real life.......

Karen Welthy of Delmar, plays the mother who accompanies the stage family on
piano, and recently became a foster parent for the first time.  She does
solo performances  throughout the Capital District, has appeared in SLOC
productions of “Oliver” and “Jekyl and Hyde,” and shares her talent with the
Capital Pride Singers.  

Katie Hart, who plays the older sister in Smoke, moved from NYC back to her
hometown of Troy and in the fall will be traveling to London for graduate
study. This is the first showcase of her singing and acting ability.

Brigid Lynch-Stegemoeller of Poestenkill completes the cast as the girl twin
in the Sanders family.  She is a freshman at ÅPHS where she plays the bass
in the orchestra.  Her favorite role with Circle Theatre Players was Scout
in CarolLynn’s production of “To Kill a Mockingbird”  Both she and Peter
Keller are touring in local schools with CTP's Outreach and Educational
Program, the play “The Sky is Falling” which was written and directed by
Barbara Leavell Smith.    

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