Have you always wanted to write a play? Have you always wanted to Act?

    “Works in Progress”

 The New Playwright/Actor workshop at the Howland

If you are an Aspiring actor, a local professional, or just someone that is curious about the art form. If you are a published playwright, or an absolute beginner and interested in writing for the stage. Maybe you’re just a local theater artist that wants to network and keep up with the pulse of the Beacon theater scene… this monthly lab has something for you!

 

The second Saturday of every month Passing the Torch will present the Hudson Valley’s best up and coming playwrights as they develop their works for future productions. Great local actors will read these works. It makes a great evening of compelling entertainment.

There will be a wide variety of plays from Dramas to Musicals, and the selection will be based on the theme of the Month. March is St Patty’s Day and International Woman’s Month so we showcase two local woman playwrights presenting their work.

Anna Mione’s “The Tea Party”

A unique look at history from a modern perspective about and then including Abigail Adams.

Deidra Dowling’s “The Dray Horse”

A family drama, set in Ireland, is about a young man that is sold into service by his impoverished family.

*Be part of the Creative process as the audience is invited to offer helpful and positive critique to give the writer some perspective. The lab schedule will be the same every month:

 6 to 8pm the lab portion where playwrights and actors are given time to  present a manageable portion of their work that is in development to get some feedback and perhaps some insight from another artists point of view.

8 to 9:30pm will be performances with more completed works and established playwrights and seasoned actors. This offers the aspiring artists something to strive for and to see firsthand what how far the art form can be elevated.

Saturday March 12^th   The Howland Cultural Center  477 main st Beacon NY 12508

               $5.00 for the Lab. $10.00 for the reading. $12.00 for both.

                  (this is to pay our performers and keep the Howland’s lights on)

 For Information contact the Howland, or PassingtheTorchThroughtheArts@gmail.com 845-901-6820

                                      Come Catch the Fire of Inspiration!

Come see where it all began !

Sam Cooke and The Rosendale theater

What a match it will be

the Rock-Gospel/Theater event of the year!

Come see this great play where it all started.

The Rosendale Theatre  Collective  will host Passing the Torch Through the Arts  on Saturday February 26^th  at 8pm in the Rosendale Theater with a Fundraising Event … Our Annual Luminary awards and the premiere of Michael Monasterials now fully completed and ready for New York Rock/Gospel play, "Sam, Where You Been Baby?" 

New songs, New scenes, New cast…the final touches are done…come see what a year of touring has done to this great show.  

                            

Opening the show that night…The Readnex, The Kingston Mass Community Choir with Dennis Washington and representatives of the best Hudson valley Choirs. Introducing our new star, Wendell Anderson, famed soul singer of Hues Corporation’s hit song “Rock the boat”, makes his Passing the Torch debut.

 The 4^th annual Luminary Awards  presented by Congressman Maurice Hinchey, Assemblyman Kevin Cahill, and Terry Leroy of the Hatians people support project and will include a Gospel performance with representatives of the best Hudson Valley Choirs followed by a command performance of a play that has the critics buzzing “Sam, Where you been Baby?”  The performance will be streamed on the World Wide Web and then aired on four local cable stations.

About the Award : The Luminary awards are presented annually to people who inspire us to keep forging ahead with our cause of greater understanding of our history and culture from every American, thereby understanding America herself.  We focus on inspiring our youth and people of all ages through innovative, educational, challenging and entertaining programming to expand their horizons.                                                                        

Our awards cover the areas of Education, Public Service, and greater awareness  of our planet through arts and in their sphere of influence.  Our Honorees are people who still care, and that is why Passing the Torch Through the Arts exists.

We strive for excellence since we aim to lead by example just like our honorees.  Committed never means resting with mediocrity, and it must never rest.  For the cause of our future, our youth and our art, is the future of America and humanity as a whole.

Our honorees come from an era where people cared and weren’t afraid to take an unpopular stand with their voices, their art and their personal philosophies, and that is why we are proud to applaud them publically. These men and women are the torchbearers we all look to in this new millennium.

 The 2011 honorees include: Mr. AJ William-Myers of SUNY New Paltz, Dennis Washington of Boys and Girls Club, Ms. Greer Smith of Transart, The Rednex Poetry Squad, and Mr.Victor Melendez of Clearwater.

  

 About the Play: The reviewers hail Sam Cooke Where You Been Baby? as: "Riveting", "Spellbinding", "The best performance and cast north of Broadway",  “A Must See!” : Theater Beat, Times Herald record, Hudson Valley Press. For more reviews and clips of the show go to www.passingthetorchthroughthearts.com

From Rosendale to Woodstock to Beacon, audiences keep coming back for more.  This story of the life of Sam Cooke has been presented to large houses and standing ovations and is still being developed for a NYC tour in Spring 2011.   So come enjoy this masterpiece as it is honed and crafted to perfection by a multi-talented cast and crew. New Cast Members, New Songs, New Scenes!

Passing the Torch Through the Arts present an original historical play by Michael Monasterial entitled,   “ Sam: Where You Been Baby?”

It's educational theater at its finest with this new musical production. This American pop fable illuminates the life and musical genius of a true original. The pop singer who wrote, performed and produced 24 Billboard hits over his 8 years at the top of the charts was also a pioneer in the Civil Rights movement and an inventor of musical styles that are still incorporated in pop and gospel music 50 years later.
Sam Cooke's early years in Mississippi, his rise to fame and his demons that ultimately lead to his untimely demise are explored in this drama, but it is well seasoned with humor, pathos and most of all great, great music.

Sam Cooke is directed by Candi Sterling and the production stage manager is Patricia Gallio, with music by Bruce Berky and choreography by Abby Lappen. It stars Sabrina Kershaw, Lucinda Carr, Stephen M. Jones, Evelyn Clarke, Dennis Washington and Wendell Anderson as Sam Cooke.
 There is a suggested donation of $20.00 per ticket, seniors $15 and $15 in advance. As always, all students (ages 11 to 21) are free when accompanied by an adult. For information call 845-901-6820.

Come catch the Fire of Inspiration!