Park Play Festival Press Release

The Community Players of Concord, NH have teamed up with Laconia’s Powerhouse Theatre Collaborative to produce a COVID-sensitive festival of short plays this spring.  The plays were all written by New Hampshire playwrights who participated in the Players/Powerhouse Fall 2020 playwriting workshop, led by Players Director and Powerhouse Producer Bryan Halperin.

Part One of the festival, which streamed online in April, consisted of plays specifically written to be performed on Zoom.  Part Two, the Park Play Festival, features plays designed to be performed outdoors.  Festival Producer Bryan Halperin says, “We had a great time working on April’s Zoom Festival, but now with the weather warming up and vaccination rates increasing we are happy to be able to step outside and bring people together to perform some live theatre in a safe manner.”

The Park Play Festival will be performed Saturday May 29th and Sunday May 30th at 3:00 pm in Rotary Riverside Park next to the Belknap Mill in Laconia.  The Festival is generously sponsored by the Dow Realty Group and TS Event Productions, which will also be providing the sound design for the event.

The plays are a mix of comedies and dramas by Doris Ballard, Betsey Buteau, Joe Elcock, Chuck Fray, Sherry Gardner, Bryan Halperin, Tess Hodges, and Nora McBurnett.  Directors include J. Alward, Lauren Shelby Douglas, Bryan Halperin, Kathleen Hill, Dorothy Piquado, John Piquado, Jim Rogato, and Doreen Sheppard.  Over 20 actors are involved in the performance.  While there is nothing particularly inappropriate for younger viewers, the subject matter of the plays is more geared towards older teens and adults.

The event will be managed similarly to how the Belknap Mill’s 2020 Arts in the Park series was handled.  Covid-safe socially distanced squares will be marked out in the park for audience members to sit with those they came with.  Audience members should plan to bring their own chairs or blanket to sit on the grass in their designated area.

There is no fee to watch the plays, but if a viewer is inspired to help Powerhouse and the Players raise money for future productions, donations to both organizations will be gladly accepted via their websites or in person at the Festival.  To learn more about the Players, visit www.communityplayersofconcord.org.  For more details on Powerhouse and all the programs at the Belknap Mill or to find out how to become a sponsor, visit www.belknapmill.org or email powerhouse@belknapmill.org.

Press Contacts:

Bryan Halperin, bryanhalperin@gmail.com

Doug Schwarz, Players Publicity Co-chair, odschwarz@gmail.com

Boys and Girls Club Collaboration Press Release

The Community Players of Concord, NH is pleased to announce that it will be collaborating this summer with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Central New Hampshire to assist in delivering ten weeks of new theatre camp programming at the Christa McAuliffe School in Concord.

The camp will be offered in five two-week sessions: Acting and Intro to Theatre, Improv Theatre, Musical Theatre, Acting (Part 2) and Improv (Bigger and Better!).

The camp is open to both new and experienced actors in grades K-5.  Campers may register for one or more sessions in any combination.

Camp will be led by skilled theatre camp counselors from the Boys and Girls Club, assisted by Community Players volunteers who bring a wide range of professional and amateur theatre expertise in areas such as acting, singing and dance, as well as “off stage” aspects of theatre such as lighting, sound, set building and props design and management. The Players will also support the camps by sharing resources such as costumes, props and set pieces.

Campers will enjoy outdoor recreation and other fun activities in addition to the theatre programming offered each day.

The camp fee is $320 per two-week session, with financial assistance available. Space is extremely limited. Registration is online at www.centralnhclubs.org. Questions? Contact Cady Hickman at (603) 268-9568 or chickman@centralnhclubs.org.