THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW is The Inaugural Production Of Core Theatre Group, Hudson Valley's Newest Professional Theatre Company

The Hudson Valley's newest Professional Theatre Company, Core Theatre Group (CTG), founded by Broadway vets and Warwick locals Jessica McRoberts, Pat McRoberts, Paul Loesel and Chuck Ragsdale, announce their first production following company launch with inaugural cabaret fundraiser on Friday, July 14, 2023.  CTG's Artistic Advisory Council includes Craig Carnelia, Paige Davis, Ben Folds, Christopher Gatelli, Alex Lacamoire, Norm Lewis, Molly Ringwald, Stephen Oremus, Seth Rudetsky, and Maury Yeston.

 

CTG will present its debut production, the sci-fi fantasy rock and roll romp, The Rocky Horror Show with music, lyrics, and book by Richard O'Brien.    Performances for The Rocky Horror Show begin Thursday, October 19 and run through Friday, October 27, 2023, at Roosevelt Hall at the Hudson Sports Complex in Wickham Woodlands (122 State School Road, Warwick, NY).  Tickets range from $45-$65 and are now on sale at www.coretheatregroup.com.

 

Stuck with a flat tire during a storm, squares and sweethearts Brad Majors and Janet Weiss discover the eerie mansion of the frenzied and fabulous Dr. Frank- N-Furter (Chuck Ragsdale). With innocence fleeting, Brad and Janet meet a castle full of rogue outcasts, including a bad-boy biker and a gothy butler- all-the-while Dr. Frank-N-Furter unveils his latest and perfect creation: a muscle man named Rocky...then comes a plot twist and things get, ahem, messy. A madcap sendup of sci-fi and b horror thrillers, The Rocky Horror Show is a playfully provocative cult perennial with raucous characters and a “killer” rock and roll score. 

 

CTG launched with a sold-out inaugural cabaret fundraiser at The Drowned Lands Brewery on Friday, July 14, 2023, where they announced their new theater, Roosevelt Hall at the Hudson Sports Complex in Wickham Woodlands, and their inaugural production, The Rocky Horror Show.  The cabaret performance included performances from stars of Broadway's Hamilton, Come From Away and Wicked – Happy McPartlin, Julie Reiber and Greg Treco, in addition to CTG's founders Jessica McRoberts, Pat McRoberts, Paul Loesel and Chuck Ragsdale.  

 

CTG is a professional theatre company in Orange County, New York whose mission is to enrich the surrounding community by connecting people through the transformative power of the performing arts by producing first class theatre, dance, music, and entertainment programs.  By offering creative collaborations of industry professionals and local talents, CTG will bring a signature brand of home-grown entertainment experiences to the Warwick Valley area to be a center for creative work that entertains, enriches, educates, transforms, and strengthens our community for the better.

 

For more information and playing schedule please visit: www.coretheatregroup.com

 

BIOGRAPHIES

 

Paul Loesel - Broadway: As a pianist/keyboardist: WICKED (original orchestra member for the last 20 years), MAMMA MIA, CABARET, THE MUSIC MAN, SEUSSICAL, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, RAGTIME, THE LION KING. Off Broadway: Associate Conductor, Andrew Lippa's THE WILD PARTY. As a composer, his songs, along with lyricist Scott Burkell, have been performed in such venues as Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, Birdland, Symphony Space, Joe's Pub, and the Chicago Humanities Festival. Their songs have been premiered by Kristin Chenoweth, Rebecca Luker, Marin Mazzie, Jason Danieley, Stephanie J. Block, and Liz Callaway. Recordings of their songs appear on Marin Mazzie and Jason Danieley's album, OPPOSITE YOU, Stephanie J. Block's THIS PLACE I KNOW, and Rebecca Luker's GREENWICH TIME, and on their own CD, SORTA LOVES SONGS (Sh-K-Boom Records). Their musical, THE EXTRAORDINARY ORDINARY, (Jonathan Larson Foundation Grant, ASCAP Musical Theatre Workshop, CAP21 workshop, Philly Fringe Festival), played the Clurman Theatre/Theatre Row in NYC. Musical Revues include LOVE SONGS AND OTHER CRAP (MAC Award nomination), and SORTA LOVE SONGS (Birdland). Their musical, LMNOP, based on the popular novel Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn, received productions at Goodspeed Musicals (CT), Theatre Under the Stars (TX), the University of Michigan, and Louisiana State University. The musical is available for professional and amateur licensing through Samuel French/Concord Musicals. Several of Paul's sacred choral works are available through Morningstar Music. He is the recipient of the 2010 Theatre Hall Of Fame Burton Lane Award and is a board member of Voices For Social Justice. For more info and sheet music purchases, head to www.scottandpaul.com

 

Jessica McRoberts - Jessica has had the pleasure of performing over the past 30 years on Broadway, National Broadway Tours, and some of the finest regional theaters in the country. FOLLIES, NINE, SPIDER-MAN: TURN OFF THE DARK, SWEET CHARITY, DOCTOR DOLITTLE, and SUNSET BOULEVARD to name a few. She also appeared on great stages in NYC such as Radio City Music Hall (Rockette Alumni), Carnegie Hall and City Center.  She has worked on shows with Stephan Sondheim, Maury Yeston, Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber Tommy Tune, Chita Rivera, Gwen Verdon, Kathleen Marshall, Jerry Mitchell, Chet Walker, Wayne Cilento, Matthew Warchus, Marshall Brickman, Rick Elice, David Leavau, Chris Gattelli, Michael Grief, and Craig Carnelia. She has also served on faculty in NYC at Marymount Manhattan College, The Atlantic Theater Company Acting School, The Professional Performing Arts School, Broadway Dance Center and currently teaches at STEPS on Broadway.  www.jessicamcroberts.com

 

Pat McRoberts - Pat starred as Chris in MISS SAIGON on Broadway, Los Angeles, Chicago, Vancouver, Cleveland, Denver, and Detroit. He was Jean Valjean in LES MISERABLES at The Barter Theater, Symphony of The Mountains, Cardinal Stage and Zach Theatre. Pat also starred as Buddy in BUDDY: THE Buddy Holly STORY the National Tour and regionally.  Pat was Michael in the Regional Premiere of MURDER BALLAD at TUTS, he understudied Jeff Daniels in Tommy Tune's TURN OF THE CENTURY at The Goodman Theatre in Chicago and starred in Yoko Ono's NEW YORK ROCK off-Broadway and on Capitol Records, as well as many other regional productions and tours.  He recently directed the Warwick Center for the Performing Arts production of CURTAINS! at The Sugar Loaf Performing Arts Center. Pat's greatest credit is his 8-year-old daughter Novello. Pat has a BA in Music from Otterbein College. Follow Pat on Twitter, Insta or TikTok @PatMcRoberts or at www.PatMcRoberts.com.

 

Chuck Ragsdale - With over 30 years performance experience, actor Chuck Ragsdale has appeared in several national tours - the most recent being the Broadway National company of the Tony Award-winning "A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder" under the direction of Darko Tresnjak.  Chuck has performed in multiple off-Broadway productions and major regional theaters including The Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia, Theatre Under the Stars in Houston, and the historic Fulton Theatre in Lancaster, PA.  As an arts educator he has served on the acting faculty of NYU Tisch/Molloy College for over 20 years. He was the Director of Education at Maine State Music Theatre and directed fully staged productions of Spring Awakening, Cinderella, and Beauty and the Beast. He received his BFA in Musical Theatre from the University of Cincinnati and has also studied at The Barrow Group and Upright Citizens Brigade in NYC. He currently teaches at the Warwick Center for Performing Arts.