AUBURN - Cayuga Community College's Harlequin Productions was among an elite few performing at the annual Theater Association of New York State festival this weekend.
Devon DelloStritto / Special to The Citizen
From left, director Jean Ryon, actor David Spiro, producer Pete Scribner, actor Terrance Brennan, actor T. Bohrer, actor John R. Jaeger and actor Patrick Niles-White pose for a photo after their performance of “The Kings of the Kilburn High Road” during the Theater Association of New York State festival at Cayuga Community College.
From left, director Jean Ryon, actor David Spiro, producer Pete Scribner, actor Terrance Brennan, actor T. Bohrer, actor John R. Jaeger and actor Patrick Niles-White pose for a photo after their performance of “The Kings of the Kilburn High Road” during the Theater Association of New York State festival at Cayuga Community College.
The group performed “Scarlet Shades of Greene,” their one-act, absurd comedy, at the state-wide festival held at the college this year.
“We had a great time with it,” said Erin Smith, stage manager for the show and student at CCC. “It was just supposed to be funny.”
The play was about a divorced couple who sought the help of a former Baptist minister turned sex therapist, among other twists, Smith said.
TANYS invites top productions to be performed and then judged by internationally-recognized adjudicator Annette Procunier at the weekend-long festival.
The play selected as the best short production, which this year went to the Philipstown Depot Theatre's “Twice Upon a Time,” moves on to the Eastern States Theater Association regional festival.
This year's TANYS festival featured seven productions - three long plays, including one musical, one high school show, one college show and two shorts. The festival is open to any community theater, college or high school groups.
“We thought we had a very good mix of shows coming to the festival,” said Laura Andruski, festival chair.
Andruski said it was uncommon for high school and college performances to be invited to the festival, given the level of competition.
Kate Hans, vice president for adjudicating services, said between 20 and 25 shows are adjudicated for festival consideration over the course of a year.
Of those shows, the roving adjudicators highly recommend certain shows for the festival.
Performing in the festival takes a high quality show, but also a high level of commitment, Hans said.
“They would say it was well worth it all,” she said. Performers have the opportunity to perform in front of their peers, be judged by top adjudicators and win awards, she said.
Procunier, who has judged shows internationally, said the quality of the shows at the TANYS festival was “on a very high level.”
“On a state level, you can see some real ups and downs. Here there was consistency,” she said. “This is a very strong organization.”
When adjudicating plays, Procunier looks at the group's ability to achieve the playwright's intent, believability, the quality of acting and directing and other aspects. This year's festival featured a broad range of genres from comedy to drama and a range of lengths.
But Procunier said it isn't the type of play that will win the festival but how well it was performed.
“People ask me ‘What will win a festival?'” she said. “Sometimes a very simple play will win a festival because they really hit it.”
Other winners were Hand to Mouth Players, for “La Gioconda in Hibernia,” a group out of Buchanan, who won best short alternative, meaning they will perform at the ESTA festival if Philipstown is not able; Rochester Community Players, for “Kings of Kilburn High Road,” who won best long performance; and the Geneva Theatre Guild, for “Forever Plaid,” who won the People's Choice award, selected by the audience.
The theme for the festival this year was “Steppin' Out With TANYS,” saluting Broadway musicals.
Staff writer Anne Gleason can be
reached at 253-5311 ext. 248 or at anne.gleason@lee.net
“We had a great time with it,” said Erin Smith, stage manager for the show and student at CCC. “It was just supposed to be funny.”
The play was about a divorced couple who sought the help of a former Baptist minister turned sex therapist, among other twists, Smith said.
TANYS invites top productions to be performed and then judged by internationally-recognized adjudicator Annette Procunier at the weekend-long festival.
The play selected as the best short production, which this year went to the Philipstown Depot Theatre's “Twice Upon a Time,” moves on to the Eastern States Theater Association regional festival.
This year's TANYS festival featured seven productions - three long plays, including one musical, one high school show, one college show and two shorts. The festival is open to any community theater, college or high school groups.
“We thought we had a very good mix of shows coming to the festival,” said Laura Andruski, festival chair.
Andruski said it was uncommon for high school and college performances to be invited to the festival, given the level of competition.
Kate Hans, vice president for adjudicating services, said between 20 and 25 shows are adjudicated for festival consideration over the course of a year.
Of those shows, the roving adjudicators highly recommend certain shows for the festival.
Performing in the festival takes a high quality show, but also a high level of commitment, Hans said.
“They would say it was well worth it all,” she said. Performers have the opportunity to perform in front of their peers, be judged by top adjudicators and win awards, she said.
Procunier, who has judged shows internationally, said the quality of the shows at the TANYS festival was “on a very high level.”
“On a state level, you can see some real ups and downs. Here there was consistency,” she said. “This is a very strong organization.”
When adjudicating plays, Procunier looks at the group's ability to achieve the playwright's intent, believability, the quality of acting and directing and other aspects. This year's festival featured a broad range of genres from comedy to drama and a range of lengths.
But Procunier said it isn't the type of play that will win the festival but how well it was performed.
“People ask me ‘What will win a festival?'” she said. “Sometimes a very simple play will win a festival because they really hit it.”
Other winners were Hand to Mouth Players, for “La Gioconda in Hibernia,” a group out of Buchanan, who won best short alternative, meaning they will perform at the ESTA festival if Philipstown is not able; Rochester Community Players, for “Kings of Kilburn High Road,” who won best long performance; and the Geneva Theatre Guild, for “Forever Plaid,” who won the People's Choice award, selected by the audience.
The theme for the festival this year was “Steppin' Out With TANYS,” saluting Broadway musicals.
Staff writer Anne Gleason can be
reached at 253-5311 ext. 248 or at anne.gleason@lee.net
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