52nd Street Productions to Stage Teen Ensemble Production of TWELFTH NIGHT, 6/21-22

By: Jun. 14, 2013
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The 52nd Street Project is a not-for-profit, community-based theater company that for the past thirty years has been bringing the kids of New York City's Hell's Kitchen neighborhood together with adult theater professionals to create original theater and to establish long-term mentoring relationships.

Next week, eleven teenagers from the Project's Teen Ensemble will perform an ensemble production of William Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night" at The 52nd Street Project's Five Angels Theater, at 789 10th Avenue, on Friday, June 21st at 7:30p.m and Saturday, June 22nd at 3:00 p.m.

The Teen Ensemble is the final step in the Project's theater programming. This production is the culmination of a two-year theater program for eleven high school students between the ages of sixteen and eighteen, all of whom have been members of the 52nd Street Project since they were ten years old. After two years of movement, improvisation, voice, scene study, clown and Shakespeare work, these eleven teens are now concluding the second year of the program with a full production of "Twelfth Night," which they helped to adapt. Incorporating original music, "Twelfth Night" explores the pain of unrequited love amongst a motley crew of characters: all of them disguising something, all of them longing for love.

After the New York production, the teens will travel over 2,000 miles westward for a Canadian tour. The first stop is the University of Calgary, where the teens will perform in the F.R. Matthews Theater on the university campus on Saturday, June 29th. After Calgary, they will continue their Canadian tour at the Banff Arts Centre, with a performance in the Margaret Greenham Theatre on Wednesday, July 3rd. The 52nd Street Project has visited the south of France; London; and Marfa, TX; on previous Shakespeare tours.

The 52nd Street Project Teen Ensemble is: Doris Alcantara, Samantha Caldona, Lily Capstick, Armando Cosme, Alvin Garcia, Jason Gil, Kiya Jacob, Tino Paduani, Melissa Rebolledo, Ashley Smith, Johanna Vidal; with the assistance of Chris Ceraso. "Twelfth Night" is directed by Megan Cramer; adapted by Chris Ceraso, in collaboration with the ensemble; original music composed by Eric A. March and the Teen Ensemble; costumes by Lara DeBruijn; lights by Burke Brown; sound by Vanessa Valdes; and stage managed by Winnie Lok.

The 52nd Street Project is a non-profit organization dedicated to youth, aged 10 to 18, from the Clinton (Hell's Kitchen) neighborhood. Through a variety of playwriting and acting programs, the Project matches up children with volunteer writers, directors and actors, many of whom are film and Broadway veterans. Volunteer artists have included Fred Armisen, Billy Crudup, Edie Falco, Charles Fuller, Natasha Lyonne, Frances McDormand, Martha Plimpton, Theresa Rebeck, Lili Taylor, Pamala Tyson, Frank Wood and hundreds of others. The results of the programs are plays written either by or specifically for the children and performed by the children and their adult partners free of charge.



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