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Theatre for the Whole City Roundup
The 2004-2005 theatre season was full, rich, and diverse
-- both in the variety of offerings on the All Stars’ three
42nd Street stages -- and in the audiences that
came to see the shows. More than 10,000 people attended at
least one of the twelve productions staged between October
2004 through June 2005. The press took note of most of the
productions as well, with reviews and feature articles appearing
in The New York Times, Newsday, Daily News, Star
Ledger, The Journal News, Brooklyn Eagle, The Amsterdam News,
Time Out, and on almost all local TV stations.
Season Highlights...
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The opening production
of the Castillo Theatre season was Stealin’ Home,
a paean to baseball hero Jackie Robinson, accompanied
by an exhibit of baseball inspired art. |
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Youth Onstage!’s first production
was the experimental Caspar Hauser: (A Language Game).
It was based on the true story of Kaspar Hauser, a young
man found wandering the streets of Nürnberg, Germany in
1828. |
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The third production of Five
Points Presents… was Day of Reckoning, written
by and starring Melody Cooper. It was a drama about the
lives of Lucy and Albert Parsons, an interracial couple
who were political radicals in 19th century
America. |
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Youth OnStage! returned in the
Spring with Robin Hood: a Political Romance.
A contemporary spin on the familiar legend, Robin Hood
broke all attendance records. |
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The talents of Castillo and Youth
OnStage! were combined to create Have You Ever Seen
a Dream Rapping?, featuring a moving series of letters
and poems by the young All Stars performers, who sang,
danced, rapped and read them to Dr. Martin Luther King
in celebration of Black History Month. In addition to
young dancers, singers and rappers, the production featured
Pamela Lewis, the All Stars’ Director of Youth Programs
and All Stars co-founder, Dr. Lenora Fulani. |
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Revising Germany looked at celebrated
playwright Bertolt Brecht through the eyes of the many
women in his life and was a featured element in Castillo’s
first “Müller in America” conference. |
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This Is Your Ridiculous Life,
the Castillo Theatre’s zany comedy improv production where
professional psychotherapists conduct live interviews
with audience volunteers whose stories become material
for on-the-spot improvisations, continued its open-ended
run. This Is Your Ridiculous Life (TIYRL),
which features members of the Castillo Theatre’s performing
ensemble, was conceived of by Fred Newman and is directed
by David Nackman. |
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Psychoanalysis, science and truth
were examined and skewered in a series of serio-comic
dialogues in The Therapy Plays: Newman's Postmodern
Follies, the final Castillo production of the season.
The Therapy Plays, which closed June 10, was a vaudevillian
exploration of philosophy, psychology and politics written
by Fred Newman and directed by Mary Fridley. |
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The All Stars’ Artist Committee
collaborated with Youth OnStage! to create its first production,
License to Dream, juxtaposing the dancers of
The Parsons Dance Company with the developing talents
of Youth OnStage! in a unique performance. The production
ran from June 10-19. |
Summer treats...
During the summer of 2005, don’t miss This Is Your Ridiculous
Life. All performances are at 7:00 pm: Friday July 22;
Saturday July 23; Friday July 29; Saturday July 30; Friday
August 12; Saturday August 13; Friday August 19; Saturday
August 20; Friday August 26; Saturday August 27; Friday September
16; Saturday September 17; Thursday September 22; Friday September
23 and Friday September 30. (To purchase tickets call the
Castillo box office or click here.
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... and don’t miss the Castillo Theatre Gala,
Monday, September 26. For more information or to purchase
tickets, call 212-941-9400 ext. 329. Save the Date!
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