Author Archives: lsegel

Holiday Party/Meeting Sunday 10 December

All are invited to our Big Event. This is our Holiday-Season Party, celebrating our successful shows in 2023, combined with a Celebration of the 55th year of our business entertaining the region with great musicals, comedies, and dramas, and training the next generation of theatre kids. It is also our Annual Membership Meeting and election of Board of Directors members. And it is a Cabaret for anyone who wants to perform.

The event is on Sunday 10 December 2023, from 2 PM to 6 PM. At our home at the American Legion Post 210 / 44 Taylor Street / Saugus, Massachusetts 01906. It’s a potluck, bring your favorite food to share. The bar will be open, featuring inexpensive beverages, both liquors and soft drinks.

The casts and staff of all our shows in 2023 are invited to reunite at the event, including Comedy of ErrorsPeter and the StarcatcherWizard of OzShrek, and Little Shop of Horrors.

Please contact us if you have any questions or want to help set up the party. Write to us at TCSaugus@gmail.com and we will get back to you.

Tickets on sale for Little Shop of Horrors

Theatre Company of Saugus presents the popular musical Little Shop of Horrors for our Halloween-season musical for 2023. For more info, see our show page.

Performances are October 27 and November 3 and 4 at 8:00 PM. Matinees are October 28 & 29 and November 5 at 2:00 PM.

On Saturday 28 October we have a later show at 9:00 PM, to which ticket holders are invited to a Halloween Party starting at 7:30 PM. Featuring a costume contest, food, and a free drink ticket.

The location is the American Legion Post 210 at 44 Taylor Street / Saugus, Massachusetts 01906. The upstairs performance space is not wheelchair accessible, but it features a bar with soft and alcoholic drinks available at very reasonable prices. See our Directions page.

Tickets are now on sale; for complete details, see our Tickets page.

Move-In and Set Build for Little Shop of Horrors

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2023 – 9AM to 5PM

We are looking for people willing to volunteer their time. The day will consist of moving items from storage in Saugus and from the basement of the American Legion, into the performance space (9AM to 1PM). AND the second part will be to construct the set pieces that need to be built (1PM to 5PM or later). We are looking for people who can volunteer for any part of the day.

Make sure you wear close-toed, non-slip shoes and bring work gloves if you have them. Wear clothes you don’t mind getting messy/sweaty.

Set build will consist of constructing a number of literal “moving pieces”. There will be creation of platforms and the addition of casters for ease of movement. We will need bodies to assist with moving pieces. So even if you don’t know much about tools – there is still plenty to assist with throughout the process.

If you are able to assist, we are also looking for you to bring the following tools with you:
• Screw Gun
• Drill
• Hammer

Also looking for:
• Table Saws
• Saw
• Levels
• L-Square

If you are able to be there on SAT, OCT 7 and/or you can bring any of the items listed, please let us know!

The more the merrier. Email us at tcsaugus@gmail.com with the subject line – LSOH Set Build.

Saugus Founders Day 2023

Each year the town of Saugus holds a street fair. Featuring vendors, food carts, games for kids, art sales, and information booths set up by community organizations and businesses.

Theatre Company of Saugus always participates. There will be a TCS info booth, featuring raffles, games, and information. Several fantastic raffle prizes will be awarded. Purchase tickets at the TCS booth.

Need costumes for Halloween? We have them for sale at our table!

We also perform selections from our shows on the steps in front of Town Hall. This year we will feature the kids from the Youth Theatre Workshop 2023 this summer, performing selections from Wizard of Oz-Youth and Shrek the Musical Jr.. There will also be a preview performance from our upcoming production of Little Shop of Horrors. The performance time is 1:15 thru 2:15 PM.

We will have a special Founders Day discount on tickets to Little Shop of Horrors.

This year Founders Day is on Saturday 9 September 2023. Running from 9:00 AM until 3:00 PM. On several blocks of Central Street, running north from the monument. The TCS booth is right in front of Town Hall.

We need volunteers to staff the TCS info table throughout the day. Greet visitors, hand out flyers, and run a raffle. We also need people to set up the table earlier in the morning, and break it down at the end.

Click here to sign up to staff, setup, or breakdown the TCS info table at Founders Day on Saturday 9 September 2023. We will contact you with instructions.

Fundraiser at Fuddruckers 26 July 2023

Theatre Company of Saugus will hold a fundraiser at Fuddruckers restaurant in Saugus on Wednesday 26 July 2023. TCS will get 20% of their sales that day from 5 PM to 8 PM. Go and enjoy their delicious hamburgers. They are 910 Broadway – US Route 1 northbound, just past Kowloon.

Click here to download the flyer, which you must show to the cashier on your phone or on paper when you purchase your food.

TCS is nominated for many 2022-23 DASH Awards, and wins one

The nominations for the 2022-23 EMACT DASH Awards were announced on July 23, 2023. EMACT is the Eastern Massachusetts Association of Community Theatres, and the DASH awards are like the local Tony awards.

The Theatre Company of Saugus production of Zombie Prom, presented in October 2022, received seven nominations, and was the winner of one of the awards:

  • WINNER! – Supporting Performer in a Male Identifying Role in a Musical – Sean Perry as Eddie Flagrante
  • Lead Performer in a Female-Identifying Role in a Musical – Mia Mercurio as Toffee
  • Sound Design for a Musical – Shawn Gelzleichter, Tyler Bliss, and James Wlodyka
  • Hair and Makeup Design for a Musical – James Valentin and Kaycee Wilson
  • Props Design for a Musical – Lauren Lyons
  • Musical Direction – Shawn Gelzleichter
  • Best Musical Production

The TCS production of Peter and the Starcatcher, presented in May 2023, earned an acting nomination:

  • Lead Performer in a Male-Identifying Role in a Play – Kaleigh Ryan as Black Stache

Other current or former TCS members were nominated for their work at other theatre companies:

  • Lead Female Role in a Play – Allison Rudmann Putnam for Handbagged at The Hovey Players
  • Lead Female Role in a Play – Michelle Mount for Dancing at Lughnasa at Arlington Friends of the Drama
  • Supporting Female Role in a Play – Rebecca Greene for Equivocation at Marblehead Little Theatre
  • Lead Female Role in a Musical – Emily Sheeran for Bat Boy The Musical at The Burlington Players
  • Director of a Musical – Paul Gymziak for Next to Normal at Dramatically Incorrect Theater Group & Dance Company
  • Choreography – Will Fafard for Tuck Everlasting at Marblehead Little Theatre
  • Set Design for a Play – Nathan Fogg-DeSisto for A Christmas Story at Massasoit Theatre Company
  • Makeup and Hair Design for a Musical – Will Farfard for Bat Boy: The Musical at Burlington Players
  • WINNER! – Makeup and Hair Design for a Musical – Will Fafard for Chicago at Pentucket Players
  • WINNER! – Consultant Choice Award – Dom Pappagallo for “Outstanding Solo” in Rent at Riverside Theatre Works

The cast of Zombie Prom performed at the DASH Gala on Saturday 19 August 2023, at which the winners of each award were announced. Click here for the complete list of nominations and awards. Click here for information about the gala.

Amy DeMarco accepting the award on behalf of Sean Perry at the DASH Gala.
The cast of Zombie Prom performing at the DASH Gala.

New TCS Scholarship

In addition to putting on shows, the mission of Theatre Company of Saugus (TCS) has been to educate our membership about theatre.  We have done this through many workshops over the years, as well as through our annual summer Youth Theatre Workshop.

For many years TCS has awarded a modest scholarship to a graduating college-bound senior at Saugus High School (SHS).  With the recognition that many TCS members do not live in Saugus, we are initiating a new additional scholarship intended for TCS members that do not go to SHS. 

The new scholarship amount is $300, and is intended for those who will be attending college or graduate school in the fall of 2023.  The recipient should be a participant in past or current TCS productions or activities.  Preference is given to those who intend to study theatre or related arts.

Applications for the first award of the new scholarship are now being accepted.  The online application form asks questions about your plans for school, and your experience with TCS.  The application must be completed by June 30, 2023.  The winning recipient will be announced in mid-July.

Access the application by clicking on this link.

If you have any questions about the new scholarship or the application, please write to us at:  tcsaugus@gmail.com.  (The recipient of the original scholarship has been selected and will be announced by SHS.)

Wizard of Oz at NSMT Ticket Raffle

We are holding a Raffle as a Fundraiser for our Youth Theatre Workshop 2023 this summer!!

We have a set of two tickets to go see The Wizard of Oz – Youth Edition on Saturday 29 April 2023 at 10:00 AM, at the North Shore Music Theatre. This is paired with a gift certificate to Holy Cow Ice Cream Cafe!!

Entries will be $5 each, or five entries for $20. The winner will be announced on Wednesday 26 April 2023. All entries must be received by the day prior, April 25.

To enter, send us money via Venmo to: @theatrecompanyof-saugus

Please include a note saying “Wiz Oz NSMT raffle”.

If you don’t have Venmo, you can write a check payable to “Theatre Company of Saugus”. Put it in a sealed envelope addressed to Theatre Company of Saugus, and include a note with your name and contact information and “Wiz Oz NSMT raffle”. Put the envelope in the mail slot to the left of the front door at the American Legion building at 44 Taylor Street / Saugus, MA 01906, or send it via US mail to that address.

The North Shore Music Theatre production is presented by their Spring Education Program students. The same show is going to be presented by our younger Youth Theatre Workshop participants, with performances on July 28-29-30, 2023.