The Last Romance at Ivoryton Playhouse

Joe DiPietro’s bittersweet romantic comedy The Last Romance, centers on widower Ralph who once had ambitions to be an opera singer but got married instead. He lives with his slightly younger sister Rose – a possessive, relentless, bitter nag who is determined not to let him out of her sight. When Ralph spots the attractive, white-haired Carol at the local dog park, Ralph flirts, plays teasing games with Carol, and works hard to establish a relationship. Impressed with his love of opera, she invites him to accompany her on a trip to Italy and the fabled La Scala opera house. Needless to say, Rose is not pleased with this plan.

This heartwarming comedy about the transformative power of love mixes heartbreak with humor and opera with laughter.

The Last Romance opens at the Ivoryton Playhouse on April 22nd and runs through May 10th.Performance times are Wednesday and Sunday matinees at 2pm. Evening performances are Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30pm, Friday and Saturday at 8pm. Tickets are $42 for adults, $37 for seniors, $20 for students and $15 for children and are available by calling the Playhouse box office at 860-767-7318 or by visiting our website at www.ivorytonplayhouse.org (Group rates are available by calling the box office for information.) The Playhouse is located at 103 Main Street in Ivoryton.

Rochelle Slovin now takes on the role of Carol Reynolds in The Last Romance at the Ivoryton Playhouse. A native New Yorker, Rochelle Slovin was educated at Cornell University and the Columbia Business School. She began her career in the 1960s as a performer in New York’s avant-garde theater, appearing often at La Mama and other off-off-Broadway venues. Following the birth of her two sons, and leaving the theatrical world, she became an organizer of Women’s Strike for Peace and then played a major role in Bella Abzug’s 1970 Congressional campaign. She entered New York City government in 1971, first working for the New York City Planning Commission and later for the Bronx Borough President. From 1976 to 1980, she was the director of the New York City CETA Artists Project, the largest publicly funded employment program for creative artists since the WPA.

In 1981 Ms. Slovin was named Founding Director of the Astoria Motion Picture and Television Foundation (a not-for-profit organization that had been established in 1977 with the goal of restoring to productive use the historic Astoria Studio complex). Upon her appointment, she proposed creating an American Museum of the Moving Image in one of the buildings on the property. She went on to develop the plans for the Museum’s mission, collection, exhibitions, programs and architecture; raised the funds necessary for its construction and operation; and assembled a distinguished staff and Board of Trustees.

With Ms. Slovin at its helm, the Museum came to prominence as the only museum in the United States, and the first museum in the world, devoted exclusively to film, television and digital media. She has expanded the Museum’s reach through off-site programs, traveling exhibitions and a content-rich website.

Museum of the Moving Image is the only institution in the U.S. that explores the art, industry and innovation of screen culture in all its forms. Embracing topics that range from 19th century optical toys to the latest Internet developments, the Museum provides insight into every phase of the production, promotion and exhibition of moving images. Engaging an international audience of all ages, Museum of the Moving Image offers a distinctive, highly interactive core exhibition; contemporary and retrospective programs of films from around the world; public discussions with leading figures in film and television; a unique collection; inspiring education programs; stimulating changing exhibitions; and groundbreaking online projects.

The Museum was granted accreditation from the American Association of Museums in 2006. On February 27, 2008, the inauguration of the Museum’s $67 million expansion and renovation was held and construction began. The museum opened its redesigned and expanded building, designed by Leeser Architecture, on January 15, 2011. “Rochelle Slovin is one of the very few individuals who have created a major New York City museum from scratch and then guided it to maturity,” Herbert Schlosser, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Museum of the Moving Image stated. “Every aspect of Museum of the Moving Image bears her stamp, from its intellectual framework to its approach to serving its many constituencies to its remarkable new physical form.”

In 1992, Ms. Slovin received the City of New York Mayor’s Award of Honor for Arts and Culture for “her leadership of an internationally recognized institution” and, in 1993, the Metropolitan Historic Structures Association honored her for “her inspired leadership in the founding of the American Museum of the Moving Image, a site of national and international cultural significance.” In 2002, Ms. Slovin and the Museum were honored by Governor George Pataki with the State of New York Governor’s Arts Award.

Ms. Slovin has lectured throughout the world on museum planning, exhibition philosophy, and the use of audiovisual media in museums. She is a former chair of the Cultural Institutions Group (comprising the 32 major City-funded cultural institutions) and a member of the Board of Directors of the Wooster Group and currently serves on the President’s Council of Cornell Women. She lives in Manhattan with her husband, the philosopher Edmund Leites.

Tony Award winner Joe DiPietro's The Last Romance, a bittersweet romantic comedy with a little Puccini and a smidgen of dog treats, opens in Ivoryton on April 22nd. Directed by Maggie McGlone Jennings, the cast includes Chet Carlin as Ralph, whose Broadway credits include Fiddler on the Roof with Theodore Bikel and the National Tour of Sir Peter Hall’s As You Like It; Kate Konigisor, the Artistic Director of Shakespeare with Benefits, as Rose and Stephen Mir as the Young Man. The set design is by William Stark, lighting design by Tate Burmeister and costumes by Vickie Blake.

Enroll Now! Rising Star ~ Summer Theatre Program Offering Two Sessions

Rising Star students become part of the cast of King Lear (Summer 2014)

Shoreline Arts Alliance is excited to be bringing back the newest component to its renowned Shakespeare on the Shoreline program. For the two weeks prior to the main stage production of The Comedy of Errors, Shoreline Arts Alliance will offer a theater performing arts program, Rising Star, to children in the community. Session 1, Stories from Folklore: Focus on Twins is July 20 - 24 and Session 2, The Comedy of Errors is July 27 – 31, from 9am-3pm on the Guilford Town Green. Students may register for one or both sessions as each week offers new experiences. Tents and rain location will be provided. Rising Star is an outreach program for ages 7 – 17. Tuition is $250.00 per week. Some need based scholarships may be available. These one-week energy-filled, fun, entertaining theater experiences will encourage creativity, reading and interpretation, and engagement in an artistic endeavor. Rising Star embraces the theater arts and will speak to the child’s desire and need to be recognized, to have their own voice and yet be nurtured as a successful individual as well as a contributing member of a team. The theater workshops will illustrate and educate participants on the issues and values that shed light on the human condition and are relevant to today’s world. Alongside the goals of promoting creativity, critical thinking, cooperation, literacy enrichment, and self-confidence, this week-long program is designed to offer an educational experience for participants. All participants will receive training from professional instructors in script analysis, interpretation and performance, and will briefly touch on set design, sound and lighting, costume design, and stage management. Older participants will also benefit from training in work/life skills (i.e. proper dress, inter-personal development, work ethic, public speaking, communication, etc.) to develop and strengthen crucial skills aiding in admission to college or entrance into the work force. Shoreline Arts Alliance is again working with Shakesperience Productions, Inc. for the operation of Rising Star Summer Theater Experience.

A nonprofit, professional, educational theater founded in 1996 and headquartered in Waterbury, Shakesperience Productions, Inc. serves Connecticut school systems and those of neighboring states, reaching over seventy communities per year. A recipient of “Arts Organization of the Year” by Waterbury Neighborhood Council, Shakesperience’s programming has proven successful among client schools, with 93% of these schools rescheduling events with the company year after year. Currently, few theatre programs for this age level are offered where there is direct involvement with the team of a major production. These students will be mentored and nurtured by cast and crew of The Comedy of Errors.

Rising Star Session 1 will explore Twins Fairy Tale. The idea of twins has captivated story tellers for centuries and The Brothers Grimm are no exception. Students will be exploring an adaptation of The Brothers Grimm fairy tales, which is simply entitled The Two Brothers. This story goes through the life of two twin’s boys, who have their own story of rags to riches, growing up through adversity, and attempting to survive in a world that confuses each brother with the other. With Shakesperience’s own professional actors, students will develop their collaboration, story telling skills, and stage presence through the magic of this classic tale. Session 2 will explore The Comedy of Errors. This is an exciting story about two sets of twins that were separated at birth due to an accident out at sea. Antipholus of Syracuse and his servant, Dromio of Syracuse, arrive in Ephesus, which ends up being the home of their twin brothers, Antipholus of Ephesus and his servant, Dromio of Ephesus. When Antipholus of Syracuse and Dromio of Syracuse come in contact with the friends and families of their twins, a series of wild events take place. With mistaken identity mixed with the classic farce theme, students will explore an abridged version of Shakespeare’s timeless comedy. Exploring the text through vocal and physical work with Shakesperience’s own professional actors, students will unlock the complex world of The Comedy of Errors. Participants will take the stage to present their own productions on Friday, July 24 and Friday, July 31. All participants are expected to be a part of the final production team at levels appropriate for their age. Some of the group may also be invited to join the cast the following week for the main stage production of The Comedy of Errors.

Because of the location of the Shakespeare on the Shoreline program and the Rising Star theater program on the historic Guilford Town Green, participants will also learn about the significance of one of the oldest town greens in the country, its role as the heart of the community, its evolution through history from a grazing spot for cattle and horses, a market place, a burial ground, to its current recreational and leisure uses. Surrounding the Green are historic homes and buildings that will also be part of the educational component of the camp. The use of the Town Green for this summer’s theater intensive, as well as the summer production of The Comedy of Errors will be discussed as it relates to the venues that Shakespeare chose for his public performances.

As one parent summed up her daughter’s experience last summer, “She started off Monday feeling intimidated and overwhelmed at the thought of learning lines that didn't even make sense to her and left today exhausted but with a smile beaming from ear to ear that she accomplished her goal. What a confidence builder. I'm sure she will remember this summer camp for many years to come. Thank you to all of your staff for their hard work and nurturing support.”

Community Engagement and Arts Programming

Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts has established a new center for community engagement and arts programming to enrich the quality of life throughout the region by developing a robust and dynamic experience in the arts. The new programming offers an extensive array of studio classes and other courses as well as a robust series of lectures, exhibitions, readings, film series and more for high school students and adults with previous or no previous art experience. Area residents and others who are interested in pursuing serious artistic study without being officially enrolled in a degree-seeking program are welcome to take part in these year-round programs in studio instruction and art appreciation.

Lyme Pre-College Academy
High school students with beginning to advanced level art training are welcome to enroll in a series of courses to further explore and expand their technical skills and abilities. All Pre-College courses and workshops aim to foster creativity, build artistic skill, and mentor personal vision in young artists. Lyme Pre-College Academy runs an intensive series of weeklong, daytime classes during summer months, as well as Saturday and evening classes and workshops that are flexibly scheduled to complement work and school schedules throughout the academic year. Lyme Pre-College Academy also offers free Portfolio Preparation workshops for high school seniors during the fall semester. Click here to learn more about the Lyme Pre-College Academy and upcoming classes.

Adult Studio Classes, Open to the Community
Adult learners have an opportunity to work in a studio setting with skilled artists at Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts who can provide expert instruction at all levels. Some of the many reasons that our adult students return each year are to work with established artists in the regional community, to build portfolios for entrance into credit-carrying courses at the College, and to advance their skills in various mediums and techniques. All adult art classes are designed to augment the strengths of the core degree programs at the College of Fine Arts with special interest topics and professional development. Click here to learn more about Adult Studio Classes.

Lecture Courses, Open to the Community
Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts also allows adult students with previous art experience to audit studio and lecture courses within our BFA programs and to study with our renowned faculty, working side-by-side in the classroom with our degree-seeking students. Enrollment in the auditing program is limited, based on specific course enrollment levels. Audit enrollment availability and options are made before the start of each semester on a course-by-course basis. Adults interested in learning about auditing opportunities should check the website or add their contact information to the Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts community engagement list. To inquire about auditing a lecture course, please contact Marguerite d’Aprile Quigley.

Information taken from LACFA web site.