Locals perform in a twist on Cindarella and Robin Hood
NETCONG — Local young actors will take to the stage in "A Night of Commedia Dell'Arte" — directed by Danny Campos, a veteran performer at The Growing Stage and a teaching artist.
"A Night of Commedia" explores the art of commedia dell arte featuring two stories: Cinderella with the Commedia Players and The Commedia Robin Hood.
In this series, young performers will engage in physical comedy and learn the basic techniques of commedia with an emphasis on the use of the mask. The Italian tradition of commedia dell’arte may be centuries old, but it’s alive and well in this rollicking play-within-a-play.
“The lively commedia troupe spices up the classic Cinderella story with sharp wit, slapstick shenanigans and endless silly squabbles (including baguette fencing, laugh duels and slap fights)," Campos said. "The merry troupe — Columbine, Arlequin, Punchin and Rosetta — tackle, tumble, trick and trip their way through the tale of Robin Hood with fantastic abandon.”
Cinderella with the Commedia Players and The Commedia Robin Hood are being produced by special arrangement with Pioneer Drama Science.
Local actors"A Night of Commedia Dell'Arte" is an all youth production featuring 20 youth performers from Sussex, Morris and Warren counties.
One of the actors in the performance is Dalton Allison, of Byram. Allison started acting when he was nine and is now 16. In the show, he plays Scaramouche/The Prince.
“It's kind of a story inside of a story deal,” he explained.
Allison said the biggest challenge for this show as been adapting to the Commedia Dell'Arte style of acting.
“I've absolutely loved all six going on seven years that I have worked at The Growing Stage,” he said.
Matthew Fralley, 18, from Netcong, is the stage manager for the performance.
“The experience I have stage managing here is like no other," Fralley said. “I started stage managing here a few years ago and I have learned so much. They have taught me how to run sound, lights, coordinate tech crew, and keep a show running nice and smoothly. The Growing Stage is an amazing place to work on and off the stage. This place has taught me so much about the theater world.”
“What makes this show so special, is the high level of ensemble work created by this cast of 20 young performers," Campos said. "They work together to bring the stories of Cinderella and Robin Hood to life in a simple, but effective way. Seeing them work together is truly magic and worth the price of admission.”
Tickets for "A Night of Commedia Dell'Arte " are $12 general admission, with group rates available. Tickets can be purchased by calling the box office at 973-347-4946 or by visiting www.growingstage.com.