Theatre Artists Workshop 2015 Spring Benefit

THEATRE ARTISTS WORKSHOP 

Presents the

2015 SPRING BENEFIT “LOVE AND MARRIAGE”

A lusty secretary.  A clueless sister. A stressed-out husband. A first-time lover.  A cheating spouse. A tired partner.  A “widow.” A literary icon and his young wife.  These are some of the characters brought to life in the 2015 Theatre Artists Workshop’s delightful Spring Benefit, “Love and Marriage,” with performances on Friday and Saturday, May 29^th and 30^th at 8 PM, and Sunday, May 31^st at 3 PM. Tickets are $20.  Reservations are strongly recommended, and can be made at the box office at 203-854-6830 or online at www.taworkshop.org.                                 

Produced by Stephanie Hazard of New Canaan, and Megan Smith- Harris, of Wilton, lights and sound by PJ Letersky of Westport, the show features the Workshop’s gifted ensemble of professional actors performing comedic and dramatic original scenes and one-act plays written by the Workshop’s playwrights, plus two songs. All explore a theme of love, marriage, and everything in-between.

In Drew Denbaum’s “Succulent,” a screenwriter and his secretary discover lust and love -- both on the page and between the sheets.  Directed by Mr. Denbaum, of Stratford, it features a married Workshop couple, Allan Zeller and Kim Squires, of Milford.

Another married couple, Vanessa David and David F. Savo, of Stamford, perform Ms. David’s “Pie and the Sky.” Directed by Melody James, of Westport, it features a young husband, desperate to get away from the stress of modern life, who brings his wife to the middle of nowhere to plead his case. And he brings pie. 

In “Scott and Zelda: Happy Forever,” by Mary Jane Schaefer of Norwalk, Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald have youth, love, success, and fame. What could possibly go wrong?  The piece features Miles Everett of Thomaston and Emilie Roberts of Weston.

“You Should Take a Lover,” by Stamford’s Fran Dorf, is about a clueless wife and her cynical sister trying to figure out who among the dinner party guests deliberately moved a small, sentimental figurine the wife calls “The Bernie.” Directed by Carole Schweid of Westport, it features Carolyn Marble of Ridgefield, Wendy Lesniak of Fairfield, Drew Denbaum, and “The Bernie” itself.

Ms. Marble is also featured as another wife in “Leaving Her,” by Rosemary Foley of Bridgeport, along with Allan Zeller and Richard Leonard of Greenwich. In this comic piece, he's leaving to play golf... but is he leaving her too?

Satchi Parker of Jersey City, NJ, and Kimberly Wilson of Westport perform “Finding Aphrodite,” in which Charlotte’s “Supergirl” takes on Martha’s “Aphrodite.” The piece is by Jack Rushton, of Newbury, Massachusetts, directed by Stephanie Hazard.

A scene from Chris Carlson’s play, “Little Island of Joy,” set in 1916 and inspired by true events, depicts a moment-in-time when the 36-year-old Helen Keller experiences first love.  The deaf and blind Keller was a world-renowned author. Directed by Melody James of Westport, it features Stephanie Hazard and Miles Everett.

In a scene from the historically inspired play “The Freak,” by Granville Burgess of Greenwich, Edgar Cayce uses his psychic power to save his wife's life by convincing her he is no longer afraid to be "the freak."  It features Molly Garbe of Norwalk and Bobby Pavia of Norwalk.

Jim Gordon of Norwalk penned “Sweet Bye and Bye,” in which Anne has stopped by to offer her condolences for the loss of her neighbor’s husband. The one-act comedy is performed by Nadine Willig of Stratford, Rhea Ruggiero of Greens Farms, and Richard Leonard.

Rounding out the program, Emilie Roberts of Weston will sing David Friedman’s “Borrowed Time,” and Molly Garbe of Norwalk will sing Frank Wildhorn’s “Now When The Rain Falls.”

The Theatre Artist’s Workshop, founded over 30 years ago by Keir Dullea, is the only professional theatre of its kind in Connecticut. Each Monday night, actors, writers, and directors put up scenes, audition pieces, and new written scripts and receive the support and critique of other members, develop work, and hone the craft, and then several times a year share their talents in public performances such as the Spring Benefit, Classic Readings, and the upcoming Fringe Festival, Friday June 26^th, Saturday June 27^th at 8 PM, and Sunday, June 28^th at 3 PM.

For more information or to reserve your seat for any TAW event, call the box office at 203-854-6830, or go to www.taworkshop.org.