The Community Players of Concord presents The Bald Soprano

by Eugène Ionesco (Translated by Donald M. Allen)

“I started writing for the theatre because I hated it.”

                                                 — Eugène Ionesco

In The Bald Soprano, a clock chimes seventeen times for seemingly no reason, the doorbell rings but there are no visitors, and the Bald Soprano never changes her hairstyle. Inspired by the cliché dialogues in an English phrasebook for beginners, Eugène Ionesco rejected the coherent plot, character development, and concept of realistic drama, instead creating his own nihilistic form of comedy to convey the tragedy of language in a universe ruled by chance.  As a testament to the play’s unique appeal and continuing relevance in an electronically dependent society that is developing its own instant message language of emoticons and anagrams, The Bald Soprano has been performing continually at the Theatre de la Huchette in Paris since 1957 — a world-record run.  A hilarious satire on the futility of meaningful communication in contemporary society, this is a theatre experience in which non-sequiturs fly, people talk at cross-purposes getting nowhere, and the concept of time is turned on its head. This thought-provoking tour-de-force of linguistic acrobatics is sure to delight.

“The Bald Soprano,” directed by Elizabeth Lent, will be performed June 17-19 and 24-26 at Hatbox Theatre, located in the Steeplegate Mall in Concord, NH.  Friday and Saturday performances begin at 7:30 p.m. — Sunday performances begin at 2:00 p.m.  Tickets are $22 ($19 for students, seniors and Hatbox members; $16 for senior members), available online at hatboxnh.com.

“The Bald Soprano (trans. Allen)” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. — www.concordtheatricals.com.  

[Questions?  Contact Elizabeth Lent at:  [email protected]]

THE COMMUNITY PLAYERS OF CONCORD TO PRESENT JOHN CARIANI’S “LAST GAS”

CONCORD – John Cariani hails from way-northern Maine, and his plays are set in that sparsely-populated region on the edge of what’s wild and what’s not. Concord audiences have seen two other Cariani plays in recent years: Almost, Maine, produced by the Players in February 2011, and Love/Sick at the Hatbox Theatre in September 2018.

Last Gas is set in a very small, unincorporated town near the Canadian border. Nat Paradis, almost 41, runs the convenience store he’ll inherit from his father, Dwight, a 63-year-old who likes dating young Canadian women. Paradis’ Last Convenient Store is the final stop for fuel and supplies before leaving the U.S. It may also prove to be the last stop for some of life’s most universal events: love, loss, connection, and joy.

Nat never married Cherry-Tracy (a forest ranger who fancies herself The Law) – but they have a teenage son, Troy, 16, a tall young man with bigger dreams than this small town can hold. When Nat’s high school girlfriend, Lureen, comes home from New York to bury her mother, he gets a chance to rekindle a romance he gave up on 21 years ago, but his best friend from high school has bought him tickets to a Red Sox game in Boston for his birthday, a perfect road trip for these devoted Red Sox fans.

Wayland Bunnell (from way-northern New Hampshire) directs, and says “There are other things besides moose that can wander onto our paths and make big changes. Last Gas is a sweet, funny, moving and thought-provoking look at love, and what it means to ‘get back to happy’ ”.

Performance details:
Friday and Saturday, May 6 & 7 at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, May 8 at 2 p.m. Performance at Concord City Auditorium
2 Prince Street, Concord NH
Tickets for reserved seating are available at: www.communityplayersofconcord.org or by contacting Box Office chair David Murdo at [email protected] or by calling (603) 344-4747.
There is a $2 per ticket discount if purchased before May 4.
The City Auditorium is fully open. Check our website for current COVID protocols.

Gutenberg! The Musical!

4th Time’s the Charm!

Gutenberg! The Musical!

Presented by The Community Players of Concord, NH
Friday & Saturday, May 20-21, 7:30 pm ~ Sunday, May 22, 2:00 pm
Hatbox Theatre ~ Steeplegate Mall ~ hatboxnh.com

Featuring David Peck and Doug Schwarz
with Brandon Buteau on piano

Doug Schwarz and David Peck spent a year rehearsing Gutenberg! The Musical! for its debut at the Community Players Studio in July 2015. They had no idea what kind of reception to expect. Though Schwarz was a Players veteran, Peck was a newbie with virtually no theater experience. But the two were lifelong friends, and their infectious stage chemistry brought the production to uproarious life before a standing-room-only crowd that almost never stopped laughing.

Flushed (and perhaps even a bit giddy?) with success, they decided to give the show another try before a wider audience. And so in February 2016 they reprised their performance for a sellout crowd at the Capitol Center for the Arts’ Spotlight Café — a crowd that was perhaps even more wildly enthusiastic than the first. Their enthusiasm not yet depleted, Doug and Dave brought Gutenberg! to the Hatbox Theatre in Concord’s Steeplegate Mall in May 2017.

But if you missed all those earlier productions (or just have to see this show again!) this is your chance! By popular demand (well, at least of the actors) Gutenberg! is coming back to the Hatbox in 2022 for one weekend only: Friday and Saturday, May 20 and 21 at 7:30 pm, and Sunday, May 22 at 2:00 pm! Tickets are $22 ($19 for students, seniors and Hatbox members; $16 for senior members), available online at hatboxnh.com.

The Hatbox, with its intimate, stadium-style seating, may be the perfect venue for Gutenberg!, allowing each patron to catch every nuance of this fast-paced, quick-witted show. You’ll even be able to see the hats (trust us, it’s important).

But under the Hatbox’s COVID social distancing rules there are only about 50 seats in the theatre, and nearly every previous performance of Gutenberg! has been standing room only! So don’t wait — get your tickets now!

Gutenberg! The Musical!, by Anthony King and Scott Brown, was developed at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York City, where it ran for over a year. The full two-act version premiered in London in 2006. A subsequent Off-Broadway production was followed by a six-month run at the Actor’s Playhouse, which was nominated for Best Musical by the Lortel and Outer Critics Circle Awards, as well as Best Book and Best Director of a Musical by the Drama Desk Awards. Regional and worldwide productions are ongoing.

And yes, it really is a show about Johann Gutenberg, inventor of the printing press. But it’s also about Bud and Doug, two wannabe playwrights who’ve written a show about Gutenberg — a show they’re convinced is the best musical ever written, ever! Now they’re doing a showcase for some really big Broadway producers. But can two guys with no set, no costumes and just a few props possibly stage an entire Broadway show? They can sure have fun trying — and so can you!

The Community Players of Concord, NH presents “Last Gas” by John Cariani

NEW DATES! – May 6, 7 & 8, 2022

John Cariani hails from way-northern Maine, and his plays are set in that sparsely-populated region on the edge of what’s wild and what is not. Concord audiences have seen two other Cariani plays in recent years: Almost, Maine, produced by the Players in February 2011, and Love/Sick performed at the Hatbox Theatre in September 2018.

Last Gas, Cariani’s most recent play, is set in a very small, unincorporated town near the Canadian border. Nat Paradis runs the business he inherited from his father, Dwight, a 63-year-old who likes dating young Canadians. Paradis’ Last Convenient Store is the final stop for fuel and supplies before leaving the U.S. It may also prove to be the last stop for some of life’s most universal events: love, loss, connection, and joy.

Nat never married Cherry-Tracy (a forest ranger who fancies herself The Law) – but they have a teenage son, Troy, who is now a tall young man with bigger dreams than this small town can hold. When Nat’s high school girlfriend, Lureen, comes home from New York to bury her mother, Nat gets a chance to rekindle a romance he gave up on years ago. But sparks fly as he’s forced to choose between new love and old.

Wayland Bunnell directs, and says “There are other things besides moose that can wander onto our paths and make big changes. Last Gas is a sweet, funny, moving and thought-provoking look at love lost and love found, and at what it means to ‘get back to happy’ ”.

Last Gas will be performed on Valentine’s Day weekend – Friday and Saturday, February 11-12 at 7:30 pm, and Sunday, February 13 at 2 pm at the Concord City Auditorium, 2 Prince St., Concord, NH. Tickets for reserved (and socially-distanced) seating are $20, with a $2 per ticket discount for purchases prior to Wednesday, February 9. Information and tickets are available at www.communityplayersofconcord.org or by contacting Box Office chair David Murdo at [email protected] or (603) 344-4747.

Note: All performers and crew have been fully vaccinated, and masks are required for audience members and others in the Auditorium (except performers while on stage). All COVID-19 precautions are subject to change depending on circumstances at show time.

The Children’s Theatre Project Returns to the Audi Stage November 12th and 13th!

The Children’s Theatre Project of the Community Players of Concord, NH (“CTP”) will be celebrating its 25th anniversary (albeit in its 26th season) with a very special production of All Together Now! – A Global Event Celebrating Local Theatre at the Concord City Auditorium on November 12th and 13^th, 2021.

Performances are Friday, November 12 at 7 pm and Saturday, November 13 at 2 pm. Reserved seating at the Concord City Auditorium, 2 Prince St., Concord, NH.  Tickets are $15, with a $2 per ticket discount for purchases prior to Wednesday, 11/10/2021. Information and tickets are available at www.communityplayersofconcord.org or by contacting Box Office chair David Murdo at [email protected] or (603) 344-4747. Box office hours are November 10-12, 4:30-7:30 pm, and November 13, 12-2 pm.

CTP was unable to celebrate its 25^th Anniversary properly in 2020 due to the pandemic, when theatres were shuttered and vaccines were not yet in place.

Their grand return this year will thus be all the more joyous, as they present this special fundraising musical revue featuring young actor/singers ages 12 and up, along with some young adult CTP alumni and some adult “Guest Performers” to round out the cast.

Theatre companies around the world will be performing various versions of this exciting musical revue all on the same weekend in November to celebrate our collective return to live theatre. Music Theatre International is licensing the show free of charge so that groups around the world can present the show as a fundraiser. 

This CTP 25th Anniversary Fundraiser will include songs from Broadway favorites including Come From Away, Waitress, Jekyll and Hyde, Matilda, Newsies, Once On This Island, Godspell and others. There will be several large group numbers, including  “Be Our Guest” (Beauty and the Beast), “Spread the Love” (Sister Act), “Sit Down You’re Rocking the Boat” (Guys and Dolls), and “Seasons of Love” (Rent).

Director Karen Braz notes that one advantage of doing a musical revue as opposed to a traditional musical right now, when COVID-19 is still in our midst, is that rehearsals can be held in relative isolation. Only small groups of singers need to rehearse together for most numbers. The revue format also makes it easier to continue rehearsing even if some performers are absent due to COVID. Rehearsals have been great fun so far and the gang can’t wait to get back to their happy place – on stage at the Audi.

Note: All performers and crew have been fully vaccinated and masks are required for audience members and others in the Auditorium (except performers while on stage). All COVID-19 precautions are subject to change depending on the circumstances as they exist at show time.

The Community Players of Concord, NH Present Barefoot In The Park, October 15-17, 2021

When COVID-19 shuttered businesses and theatres in March of 2020, The Community Players of Concord, NH were in the midst of preparing the classic comedy, Neil Simon’s Barefoot In the Park. The show was supposed to be presented in May, 2020 as part of the group’s “all Neil Simon” 93rd season. Rehearsals were underway, the elaborate set nearly finished and costumes, props and set dressings were at the ready. And then everything stopped.

Now, after nearly 18 months of waiting, Barefoot In The Park will finally take the stage at the Concord City Auditorium on October 15-17, 2021 for what will be the Player’s first post-pandemic mainstage show. The large and beautiful set has been sitting idle at the Players Studio the entire time and if sets had feelings, this one would no doubt be as happy as the cast and crew to get back to rehearsals and then on to the Audi stage!

Co-directors John Conlon and Betty Lent lead a cast of six outstanding actors in this well-loved, romantic comedy – Simon’s longest running Broadway hit and the tenth-longest running non-musical play in Broadway history.

Griffen Stuart and Hannah McCauley play newlyweds Paul and Corie Bratter, who have just moved into their first apartment, a tiny fifth-floor walk-up in a crumbling Manhattan brownstone. Although they are deeply in love, Paul and Corie are very different sorts of people … and their new home brings out those differences. Corie, a free-spirited optimist, is excited by the apartment’s possibilities. Paul, an uptight young lawyer, sees only its flaws – like the hole in the skylight and the leaky closet.

The couple’s life is complicated by the unexpected arrival of Corie’s mother (played by Jo Ann Kaplan), a lonely widow who seems to have nothing better to do than intrude on her daughter’s life. Hoping to give her mother something else to think about, Corie arranges an improbable blind date for her with their quirky, bohemian neighbor Victor Velasco (Players veteran Wallace J. Pineault). Chaos and comedy ensue because, while opposites may attract, adjustments may be needed to keep them together!

Rounding out the cast in exquisite comedic cameos are Kevin Guimond as a philosophical telephone repair man, and Pat Delzell as a hapless delivery person.

Director Conlon finds the heartwarming and funny show particularly appealing as a “show in time” – a glimpse back to the lifestyles and dreams of the late 50’s and early 60’s when a newlywed young couple like Paul and Corie knew what they wanted and optimistically pursued their dreams. “The show is almost like a valentine’s day card to the audience,” Conlon says, “particularly to those who are old enough to personally remember that time.”

Performances are Friday and Saturday, October 15 & 16 at 7:30 pm and Sunday, October 17 at 2:00 pm at the Concord City Auditorium, 2 Prince Street, Concord, NH. Tickets are $20 for adults, $18 for juniors age 17 and younger and seniors age 65 and over, all with a $2 per ticket discount for tickets purchased prior to October 13th. Tickets are available on-line at www.communityplayersofconcord.org or at the Audi box office. Box office hours are Wednesday through Friday, October 13-15, 4:30-7:30 pm, Saturday, October 16, 6:00-7:30 pm, and Sunday, October 17, 12:30-2:00 pm.

For further ticket information, contact David Murdo at [email protected] or (603) 344-4747. If you purchased tickets for the May, 2020 performance, you should have automatically received new tickets by mail around September 1st. If they have not arrived, please contact David Murdo.

COVID-19 safety notes: all members of the cast and crew of Barefoot In The Park are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and crew, ushers, and all other front of house volunteers will be wearing masks. Audience members are also asked to wear masks while inside the Audi for this show, regardless of vaccination status. If you forget to bring yours, one will gladly be provided to you at the door. If refreshments are served during intermission, audience members are asked to lower masks only while actively eating or drinking and to practice social distancing from people outside your household as much as possible.

Barefoot In The Park Press Release

The Community Players of Concord, NH Present Barefoot In The Park, October 15-17, 2021

When COVID-19 shuttered businesses and theatres in March of 2020, The Community Players of Concord, NH were in the midst of preparing the classic comedy, Neil Simon’s Barefoot In the Park. The show was supposed to be presented in May, 2020 as part of the group’s “all Neil Simon” 93rd season. Rehearsals were underway, the elaborate set nearly finished and costumes, props and set dressings were at the ready. And then everything stopped.
Now, after nearly 18 months of waiting, Barefoot In The Park will finally take the stage at the Concord City Auditorium on October 15-17, 2021 for what will be the Player’s first post-pandemic mainstage show. The large and beautiful set has been sitting idle at the Players Studio the entire time and if sets had feelings, this one would no doubt be as happy as the cast and crew to get back to rehearsals and then on to the Audi stage!

Co-directors John Conlon and Betty Lent lead a cast of six outstanding actors in this well-loved, romantic comedy – Simon’s longest running Broadway hit and the tenth-longest running non-musical play in Broadway history.

Griffen Stuart and Hannah McCauley play newlyweds Paul and Corie Bratter, who have just moved into their first apartment, a tiny fifth-floor walk-up in a crumbling Manhattan brownstone. Although they are deeply in love, Paul and Corie are very different sorts of people … and their new home brings out those differences. Corie, a free-spirited optimist, is excited by the apartment’s possibilities. Paul, an uptight young lawyer, sees only its flaws – like the hole in the skylight and the leaky closet.

The couple’s life is complicated by the unexpected arrival of Corie’s mother (played by Jo Ann Kaplan), a lonely widow who seems to have nothing better to do than intrude on her daughter’s life. Hoping to give her mother something else to think about, Corie arranges an improbable blind date for her with their quirky, bohemian neighbor Victor Velasco (Players veteran Wallace J. Pineault). Chaos and comedy ensue because, while opposites may attract, adjustments may be needed to keep them together!

Rounding out the cast in exquisite comedic cameos are Kevin Guimond as a philosophical telephone repair man, and Pat Delzell as a hapless delivery person.
Director Conlon finds the heartwarming and funny show particularly appealing as a “show in time” – a glimpse back to the lifestyles and dreams of the late 50’s and early 60’s when a newlywed young couple like Paul and Corie knew what they wanted and optimistically pursued their dreams. “The show is almost like a valentine’s day card to the audience,” Conlon says, “particularly to those who are old enough to personally remember that time.”

Performances are Friday and Saturday, October 15 & 16 at 7:30 pm and Sunday, October 17 at 2:00 pm at the Concord City Auditorium, 2 Prince Street, Concord, NH. Tickets are $20 for adults, $18 for juniors age 17 and younger and seniors age 65 and over, all with a $2 per ticket discount for tickets purchased prior to October 13th. Tickets are available on-line at www.communityplayersofconcord.org or at the Audi box office. Box office hours are Wednesday through Friday, October 13-15, 4:30-7:30 pm, Saturday, October 16, 6:00-7:30 pm, and Sunday, October 17, 12:30-2:00 pm.

For further ticket information, contact David Murdo at [email protected] or (603) 344-4747. If you purchased tickets for the May, 2020 performance, you should have automatically received new tickets by mail around September 1st. If they have not arrived, please contact David Murdo.

COVID-19 safety notes: all members of the cast and crew of Barefoot In The Park are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and crew, ushers, and all other front of house volunteers will be wearing masks. Audience members are also asked to wear masks while inside the Audi for this show, regardless of vaccination status. If you forget to bring yours, one will gladly be provided to you at the door. If refreshments are served during intermission, audience members are asked to lower masks only while actively eating or drinking and to practice social distancing from people outside your household as much as possible.

White Rabbit, Red Rabbit Press Release

August 11, 2021 – Players Present Elusive Rabbit

The first time Wayland Bunnell and Lacy Long went to see White Rabbit, Red Rabbit, they had no idea what to expect. Neither, it turned out, did the actor performing the show.

Despite the fact the play has been performed worldwide and enjoyed a 42-week Off-Broadway run with stars like Nathan Lane, Whoopi Goldberg, Darren Criss and Cynthia Nixon, White Rabbit, Red Rabbit, by Iranian playwright Nassim Soleimanpour, is a theatrical enigma – the show that no one is allowed to talk about. Actors who appear in this one-person show must never have seen it before, and do not even lay eyes on the script until it’s handed to them at the start of the play. There is no rehearsal, and no director. Only the bravest of performers take on this challenge. For some actors it’s their greatest nightmare, but for others it’s a unique opportunity to use their skills in real time. Both actor and audience experience Nassim’s play simultaneously.

Bunnell and Long were so intrigued by the show that they went back a second time to see another actor in the play. While each actor performs the same script, each one brings their own skills, style and interpretation to the play, so that each performance is unique. White Rabbit, Red Rabbit is theatre that asks you to serendipitously meet Nassim through his words, and to leave your phone on!

Bunnell and Long, both longtime members of the Community Players of Concord, knew they had to bring this piece of theatre magic to Concord audiences. Thanks to the pandemic it’s taken two years, but now the Community Players are pleased to present White Rabbit, Red Rabbit at the Hatbox Theatre.

Nassim Soleimanpour was a conscientious objector who refused to do mandatory military service, and therefore could not obtain a passport. So instead, at age twenty-nine, he penned a play that helped him vicariously travel the world without borders. Spread solely by email, blogging and social media, this intriguing and innovative play has been performed to critical acclaim worldwide.

There are nine performances at the Hatbox Theatre – each featuring a different actor – over the three weekends from September 10-26, 2021. Show times are Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm, and Sundays at 2:00 pm. The actors, in order of performance, are Steve Lajoie, Alex Picard, Eric Skoglund, Deirdre Bridge, Katie Collins, David MacNeill, Aaron Compagna, Chris Avery and Katie Dunn-Law.

Come be a part of the discovery and excitement!

Tickets ($16 – $22) are available at https://hatboxnh.com or at the box office.

From the license agent: URGENT: All media and press agents: This play is NOT overtly political, and should not be portrayed as such. It operates on a deeper, metaphoric level, and very expressly avoids overt political comment. We therefore ask the press to be judicious in their reportage.

Special Auditions for Barefoot in the Park Press Release

The Community Players of Concord NH are pleased to announce special auditions for their October 2021 production of Neil Simon’s Barefoot in the Park.

This show was originally scheduled for May 2020, but was postponed due to the pandemic.  Four of the six original cast members are returning to the show, but we are seeking actors for the two lead roles:

Corie Bratter — 20’s to early 30’s — emotional, optimistic, full of positive energy.  Embracing the future, anxious to take on the world and its adventures.

Paul Bratter — 20’s to early 30’s — straight-laced, conflicted attorney, wants to make a good impression at work.  Hopelessly in love with Corie; loves that she is so different from him.  Always tries to do the right thing.  Not adventurous.

Set in the 1960’s, Barefoot in the Park introduces newlyweds Corie and Paul as they behold their first home – a tiny 5th floor walk-up in a crumbling Manhattan brownstone.  Corie, a free-spirited optimist, is excited by its possibilities.  Paul, an uptight young lawyer, sees only its flaws – like the hole in the skylight and the leaky closet.  When Corie’s straight-laced mother makes an unannounced visit, Corie arranges a blind date for her with their quirky, bohemian neighbor.  Chaos and comedy ensue because, while opposites may attract, adjustments are often needed to keep them together!

Auditions will be held August 10^th and 11^th at 7:00 pm at the Players Studio, 435 Josiah Bartlett Road in Concord.  No special preparations are required.  Sides from the script will be available.

Rehearsals will be held Monday thru Thursday evenings starting September 2^nd.  (Conflicts with the rehearsal schedule will be a factor in casting.)  The production dates are October 15^th and 16^th at 7:30 pm, and October 17^th at 2:00 pm, at the Concord City Auditorium.

Please note that all actors in this show must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

If you have questions, please contact director John Conlon at (603) 224-4285 or [email protected].

To find out more about the Community Players of Concord, NH, and how to become involved, visit www.communityplayersofconcord.org.  To subscribe to our monthly e-newsletter, visit http://eepurl.com/c8imqT.