Category Archives: Announcements

We will continue our project of moving scenery, on Saturday 26 September 2015.  The starting time is TBA, watch this space for further news.

Please meet us at 123 Forest Street.  We will be moving set pieces from Leo’s garage and shed to our storage unit at 222 Central Street Storage.  Both of these locations are shown on the map on the Directions page of our website.

We need people with trucks or vans.  And people who can left and carry.

We can also use people who cannot lift or carry, but can take inventory as we work.

If you plan to help us out, or have questions, please contact Larry Segel at 617-539-0418.

TCS has collected a lot of scenery, furniture, costumes, and props over the years.  Half of it is stored in rented rooms at Central Storage, at 222 Central Street in Saugus.  The other half is in garages and sheds at a property on Forest Street.  We are consolidating all of it into a larger room at Central Storage.  This will take two or three moving days, and it must be completed during August and September 2015.  We will need the help of a bunch of people who can carry things; the more the easier.  We also need people with trucks or vans on the days we move stuff from Forest Street to Central Storage.  The locations may be found on our Directions page.

Theatre Company of Saugus (TCS) is a member of the Eastern Massachusetts Association of Community Theatre (EMACT).  EMACT runs the DASH program (Distinguished Award and Special Honors) that evaluates many of the shows done by its member groups.  Many aspects of each show and the performers are rated, and those with the best ratings are Nominated for DASH Awards.  The award winners are revealed at the annual DASH Gala, which is very much like the Tony Awards, but local.

TCS has a nomination for one of its productions in the 2014-2015 season:

• Anthony Turilli is nominated for Best Youth Actor in a Play, for his role as Templeton the rat in Charlotte’s Web.

Several other TCS members were nominated for their work with other groups:

• Amanda Allen for Best Makeup and Hair Design of a Musical for Into The Woods at Spotlight Playhouse.
• James Wlodyka for Best Sound Design of a Musical for The Rocky Horror Show at Winthrop Playmakers.
• Shawn Gelzleichter for Best Musical Direction for Tommy at The Footlight Club.  Winner.
• Kathleen Tringale for Best Choreography for a Musical for Chicago at Wakefield Repertory Theatre.
• Brian Dion (and others) for Best Set Dressing for a Play for Come Back to the Five and Dime Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean at the Hovey Players
• Abbey Ross for Best Stage Management of a Musical for Green Day’s American Idiot at Marblehead Little Theatre.  This show was also nominated for Best Production of a Musical.
• Emily Sheeran for Best Youth Actress in a Play for Moon Over the Brewery at Acme Theater Productions.  Winner.
• Chip Sheeran for Best Set Design of a Play for Moon Over the Brewery at Acme Theater Productions.
• Chip Sheeran for Best Direction of a Play for Moon Over the Brewery at Acme Theater Productions.  This show was also nominated for Best Production of a Play.
• Saugus High drama teacher Steve Black for Best Direction of a Musical for Lex Miserables at Marblehead Little Theatre.
• The Men of the Barricade in Les Miserables at Marblehead Little Theatre were nominated for Best Specialty Ensemble in a Musical.  Winner.
• The entire cast of Les Mis was also nominated for Best Ensemble in a Musical.  The cast included TCS members Bob Russell, Matt Ludwig, Les Tarmey, Bobby Imperato, Bryan Cipoletta, and Sarah Belliveau.
• Saugus High graduate Tyler Prendergast is part of the nominated Best Specialty Ensemble in a Play for the Tragedians in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead at Longwood Players.  Winner.
• The entire cast was also nominated for Best Ensemble in a Play.
• And the show was nominated for Best Production of a Play.  Winner.

TCS is the Sponsor of the award for Best Supporting Actor in a Play.  Click here for the complete list of DASH Nominations and winners.  The 2015 Annual EMACT Gala and DASH Awards is on Saturday 29 August 2015 starting at 6:00 PM.  The location is the Arsenal Center for the Arts in Watertown, Mass.  Click here for complete details about the Gala including purchasing tickets.

The Theatre Company of Saugus is excited to announce the selection of our Directors and some other Artistic Staff for the four shows in our 2015-2016 season.

The Mystery of Edwin Drood.  The Tony-winning musical with multiple possible endings, by Rupert Holmes.  Performances will be 16, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25 October 2015.  Adam Schuler will be the Director and Choreographer.  Adam is a theatre educator and has directed several shows for our neighbors the Wakefield Repertory Theatre.  We welcome back Barbara Morash as our Music Director for Drood.  She was the music director for our production of Cabaret a few years ago.

Nunsense:  The Mega Musical.  A remake of the original with additional songs, lines, and characters, by Dan Goggin.  11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20 December 2015.  Becky Rush will be the Director and Choreographer.  Kathleen Tringale will assist with some of the Choreography.  Becky directed the TCS production of Nuncrackers last year.  The music director is Joe Nuccio.

The Laramie Project.  A serious drama, by Moisés Kaufman and members of the Tectonic Theater Project.  26, 27. 28 February and 4, 5, 6 March 2016.  Jason Hair-Wynn will be the Director.  Jason has recently done several shows with our neighbors the Winthrop Playmakers.

Urinetown.  A satiric comedy musical, with music by Mark Hollmann, lyrics by Hollmann and Greg Kotis, and book by Kotis.  13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22 May 2016.  We have Co-Directors:  Britt Mitchell and Kathleen Tringale.  Kathleen will be the Choreographer.  Britt has directed our Youth Workshop for several years, and Kathleen has worked with TCS on The Producers and other shows, and has recently choreographed at Wakefield Rep.

Thank you to all the applicants for Artistic Staff positions.  We we had many talented and accomplished candidates to choose from.

The Stage Manager for the first two shows, Drood and Nunsense, will be Mary Moffett.  Mary has staged managed and directed several shows for TCS.  Mary and Amanda Allen will be the Co-Producers for Drood.

We are now seeking people to fill the open positions on our volunteer Technical Staff for all shows, including Producers, Stage Managers, and Designers for Sets, Lighting, Costumes, Props, etc.  Also Publicity, House, and Concessions Managers.  If you are interested in helping out, please Contact Us.

Becky Rush – Becky is thrilled to be back working with the Theatre Company of Saugus directing Nunsense The Mega-Musical this season. She directed last year’s December production of Nuncrackers for TCS and has played the role of Sister Mary Paul / Amnesia in six different chapters of the series (Nunsense The Mega-Musical in 2014, Nunset Boulevard in 2013, Meshuggah-Nuns in 2012, Sister Amnesia’s Nunsense Jamboree in 2011, Nunsensations in 2009 and Nunsense 2 in 2008) and has played Sister Robert Anne in Wakefield Reperatory Theatre’s 2013 production of Nunsense. Some of her most memorable directing experiences include: A Year with Frog and Toad, Fox on the Fairway, James and the Giant Peach, Annie Jr, Grease, Seussical, Dear Edwina, You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown!, and The Wizard of Oz,  among many others. She is currently directing Disney’s Peter Pan Jr. with her school Drama Club and Godspell with the Majestic Theatre Teen Company in Manchester NH. Becky regularly performs and directs for many community theatre companies in southern NH and the Boston area. She teaches at the Northwood School in New Hampshire where she also directs a thriving Drama Club of 80-100 students each year. She was named NH World Language Teacher of the Year in 2013.

You can sign up to get email newsletters from Theatre Company of Saugus.  Be the first to hear about our shows, auditions, workshops, and meetings.

If you used to get emails from us, but don’t anymore, it may be because your email address has changed.  Please sign up so that we know your current email address.  Thank you!

TCS is now using Constant Contact to send out email notices.

We will hold a General Membership meeting on Sunday 15 March 2015 starting at 3:00 PM.  The location is ESUMC.

This is a join meeting with the Play Reading committee.   The main topic is starting the planning for our 2016-2017 season.  We will discuss what sorts of shows we might like to produce, and what the production calendar might look like.

All TCS members are welcome to attend.  Bring your ideas about shows you would like us to produce.

This is also a potluck dinner affair.  Bring some food to share.

The Theatre Company of Saugus is seeking to engage the artistic staff for our upcoming season of shows in 2015-2016.  We need a Director for each show, and a Musical Director and a Choreographer for each musical.  Candidates should send a letter of interest indicating which shows you are interested in, along with a resume, to TCSaugus@gmail.com.  The deadline is April 15, 2015.  We will ask all candidates to answer a questionnaire, and to come to an interview during April-May 2015.

Here is the season of shows, with probable performance dates:

• The Mystery of Edwin Drood.  The Tony-winning musical with multiple possible endings, by Rupert Holmes.  16, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25 October 2015.
• Nunsense:  The Mega Musical.  A remake of the original with additional songs, lines, and characters, by Dan Goggin.  11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20 December 2015.
• The Laramie Project.  A serious drama, by Moisés Kaufman and members of the Tectonic Theater Project.  26, 27. 28 February and 4, 5, 6 March 2016.
• Urinetown.  A satiric comedy musical, with music by Mark Hollmann, lyrics by Hollmann and Greg Kotis, and book by Kotis.  13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22 May 2016.

In case we are unable to secure the rights, we have chosen alternate shows as a backup plan.

The alternates for The Mystery of Edwin Drood are Batboy or Little Shop of Horrors; both are musical thrillers.

The alternates for Nunsense: The Mega Musical are The Greatest Christmas Pageant Ever, a comedy play with adults and children, or return engagements of our popular musical revues A Very Christmas Christmas, or of A Storybook Christmas.

The alternate for The Laramie Project is God of Carnage, another serious drama.

The alternate for Urinetown is 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, a musical comedy.

At their meeting on Thursday 11 December 2014, the Board of Directors elected their officers for the calendar year 2015.

• President … Amanda Allen
• Vice President … Nancy Welch
• Treasurer … Larry Segel
• Recording Secretary … Brittnay Mitchell
• Corresponding Secretary … Sherri Raftery

Other board members include:

• Mary Moffett
• Leo Nickole
• Jessica Stockton
• Stacey Wilson

Mary Moffett was added to the board by the general membership at the meeting on 18 December 2014.  We still have three slots open for Alternate Board Members.  If you are interested in serving, please Contact Us.

We have selected probable performance dates for our upcoming 2015-2016 season.

• The Mystery of Edwin Drood.  16, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25 October 2015.
• The Nunsense Mega Musical.  11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20 December 2015.
• The Laramie Project.  26, 27. 28 February and 4, 5, 6 March 2016.
• Urinetown.  13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22 May 2016.

We are now taking applications for the artistic staff for these shows, including Directors, Musical Directors, and Choreographers.  Send a resume with a letter indicating what shows you are interested in, to TCSaugus@gmail.com.  The deadline is March 31, 2015.  We will ask all candidates to answer a questionnaire, and to come to an interview during April 2015.

The Play Reading Committee  proposed a draft plan for the shows that we would like to present for the next season.  At their meeting on 11 December 2014, the Board of Directors modified the plan.  At the meeting/holiday party on 18 December 2014, the general membership gave final approval to the modified plan.

Below we show the approved modified plan, listing our first choices for each part of the season, and some back-up shows, in case our first choice is unavailable.  All of these shows would be presented at ESUMC.

Summer 2015:  The fifth annual Summer Youth Theatre Workshop, presenting a junior version of a popular musical.  Under consideration are Annie Jr. and Once Upon This Island Jr.  We will also continue our series of Workshops on Theatre Skills that we began in the summer of 2014.

October 2015:  The Mystery of Edwin Drood, a musical mystery.  Alternates: Batboy, a musical thriller, or Little Shop of Horrors.

December 2015:  The Nunsense Mega Musical.  This is the first Nunsense show, but with a bigger cast other additions.  We may want to do one of the Nunsense shows at every Christmastime.  Alternates:  The Greatest Christmas Pageant Ever, a comedy with adults and children, or return engagements of our popular musical revues A Very Christmas Christmas, or of A Storybook Christmas.

Winter 2016:  The Laramie Project, a serious drama.  Alternate:  God of Carnage.

Winter 2016:  Winter Youth Theatre Workshop, meeting on Sunday afternoons.

Spring 2016:  Urinetown, a satiric comedy musical.   Alternates:  25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, a musical comedy.