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April 13-29, 2012
The Edith Bolte Kutz Theater (Black Box) of the Lackland Center
Professional Equity Theatre Presentation
Centenary Stage Company's Premiere of
Aoise Stratfords New Play, The Unfortunates
"I am, my dear sir, yours in the fight against wickedness. P.S.- Perhaps you would like my portrait, but you see I am in deep mourning for those ladies that I put to sleep, and do not wish to have one taken." - Jack the Ripper
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| Photos by Bob Eberle | ||||
The World Premiere of “The Unfortunates” will open Friday, April 13 and run through April 29, in the Edith Bolte Kutz Theatre of the Lackland Center in Hackettstown. Kicking off month-long festivities for the 20th Anniversary celebration of the Women Playwrights Series, “The Unfortunates,” tells the dramatic tale of a young “unfortunate” working girl who enters the Ten Bells pub on a foggy evening in London to escape the streets, where Jack the Ripper stalks the night.
Diana Cherkas returns to Centenary Stage to perform the role of “Mary Kelly”. Cherkas has been seen at CSC as Liz in the 2009 production of “Loose Knit” by Theresa Rebeck, and as Peg Woffington in the CSC production of “Laughing Matter.” NJ Audiences will remember also her performance as Nikki in the “Musical Comedy Murders of 1940” at the Bickford Theatre in Morristown. Cherkas has performed at numerous regional theatres, and has been seen in television specials for the Discovery Channel, and “The Incredible Human machine” for National Geographic, as well as in many other film performances.
The production of “The Unfortunates” is the centerpiece of the Centenary Stage Company Women Playwright Festival 20th Anniversary celebration, which will include dynamic activities throughout the month, including 4 free presentations of staged readings of new plays (Apr 11, Apr 18, Apr 25 and Apr 30 at 7:30 PM) from writers from around the country, free writing workshops (Apr 14, 3-6 PM) , panel discussions and the “Dine and Dish” Brunch with the playwrights (April 15, 11:30 – 1:30 ).
For more information about tickets and registering for other events, contact the Centenary Stage Company Box Office at 908-979-0900 or the Spring 2012 Women Playwrights Series (WPS) for a complete schedule of events. Tickets for “The Unfortunates” range from $20 – 25, with discounts for seniors and students, with a special “Family Night” two-for-one offer on Thursday evenings, available at the door only. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM, Sundays at 2 PM, Thursdays at 7:30 PM, with additional matinee performances on Friday, Apr 13 at 2 PM (Preview), Wed, Apr 18 at 2 PM, and Wed, Apr 25 at 10am (student matinee series).
Playwright: Aoise Stratford
Playwright Aoise Stratford's is the CSC 2010 Susan Gladspell winner whose work has been produced throughout North America and Europe. She is a recipient of many awards including the Alan Miniere Award, A Pinter Review Prize, The Yukon Pacific Playwright Aware, and The Last Frontier Theatre Conference Audience Choice Award. She has taught various workshops and conferences. Her work has been published by Smith and Kraus, JAC, United Stages and Merriweather Press.
(more about the playwright...)
Director: Judith Stevens-Ly
Director Judith Stevens-Ly has been the Artistic Director of the Hysterick Theatre Company in Tokyo. In New York, she has directed
plays at Ensemble Studio Theatre and Looking Glass Theatre, the New York and Philadelphia Fringe Festivals, at Manhattan Theatre
Club, BRIC in Brooklyn, HERE Arts Center, and Manhattan Theatre Source.
| Interview with Diana Cherkas portraying Mary Jane Kelly in Aoise Stratford's 'The Unfortunates' |
| Review |
| "Now, in a confluence of superb writing, directing and acting, Centenary
Stage Company Women's Playwrighting Series has restored these invisible women to life, given them humanity and dignity in Aoise Stratford's jaw-dropping play, The Unfortunates..." "It is an hour and a half of theater that is not to be missed!" "For 90 minutes, the Edith Bolte black box theater was silent, except for the eerie sounds of a bell chiming the quarter hours, fog horns and barking dogs. Judith Stevens-Ly's taut direction is to be commended for keeping the dramatic tension ratcheted up, and Diane Cherkas's tour de force performance lets us picture Victorian mores, hypocrisy and debauchery although we never leave the terrifically evocative set designed by Evan Hill." Ruth Ross, nj arts maven [Full Review] "...a fascinating one-woman play by Avoise Stratford." "Playing the 25 year old Mary, and all the other parts, is the amazingly talented actress, Diana Cherkas...." "...Set Designer-Evan Hill (outstanding pub set)..." "...Sound Designer-Colin Whitley (very effective sound effects)..." "...Costume Coordinator-Julia Sharp (Mary's dress is perfect)." Rick Busciglio - New Jersey Footlights [Full Review] |
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Schedule - The Unfortunates
Centenary Stage Company's The Unfortunates runs April 13-29. Performance times are Friday/Saturday at 8PM, Sunday/Wednesday
at 2PM, and Thursday Family Night (2 for 1 "rush" tickets at the door) at 7:30PM. A student matinee for all middle
and high school groups is scheduled for Wednesday, April 25 at 10AM. Tickets can be purchased online at www.centenarystageco.org,
by calling (908) 979-0900, or in person at the Lackland Center at 715 Grand Avenue in Hackettstown, with box office hours from
1-5 Monday through Friday, and two hours prior to performances. All performances will take place on the Centenary Stage in
the Edith Kutz Black Box Theatre in the Carol and David Lackland Center in Hackettstown, New Jersey.
Limited Seating - ADVANCE TICKET PURCHASE RECOMMENDED
| Apr. 2012 - The Unfortunates | |||||
| Wed. Mat. 2pm |
Thurs. Eve. 7:30pm |
Fri. Mat. 2pm |
Fri. Eve. 8pm |
Sat. Eve. 8pm |
Sun. Mat. 2pm |
| 13 Fri. Preview Mat. |
13 | 14 | 15 "First Sundays" |
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| 18 | 19 Family Night |
x | 20 | 21 | 22 |
| 25* | 26 Family Night |
x | 27 |
28 | 29 Access- ibility |
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| Centenary Brunch Sundays |
| Starting Sept. 1, 2011, the special Centenary Brunch is again open to the public on Sundays, in the new dining halls of the Lackland Center. Serving from 11-1:30 PM, the brunch includes a traditional Breakfast Buffet, plus a Carving Station, Deli Counter, Luncheon Entrée, and more. The Brunch is priced at only $8.25, and no advance reservations are required. |
Schedule - Spring 2012 Women Playwrights Series (WPS) - 20th Anniversary Celebration
- Apr. 11 / 7:30pm - Other Minds by Vermont playwright Margot Lasher
- Apr. 13 – 29 - The Unfortunates, by Australian playwright Aoise Stratford
- Apr. 14 / 9:30 pm - "Meet the Playwright” post-show discussion with Aoise Stratford (9:30 PM, following performance)
- Apr. 14 / 3 – 6pm - Free Writing Workshop with Aoise Stratford (reservations required)
- Apr. 15 / 11:30am – 2pm - “Dine and Dish” with the playwrights, returning authors lead a panel discussion “50-50 in 2020”, with Brunch.
- Apr. 18 / 7:30pm - The Text of Sex by NJ Playwright Michele Aldin Kushner
- Apr. 25 / 7:30pm - Spin or Twilight of the Bohemians by California playwright Carol Verberg
- Apr. 30 / 7:30pm - The Diagonal Trilogy by Warren County playwright Vita Morales
More about Women Playwrights Series
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The CSC Women Playwrights Series is made possible by generous support from the Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the The New Jersey State Council on the Arts, and CSC members and sponsors. |
About the David and Carol Lackland Center
 Sitnik Theater of the Lackland Performing Arts Center |
The Centenary Stage Company has found its new home with construction the Carol and David Lackland Center (located at 715 Grand Ave, Hackettstown), completed in August, 2010. With a 22,000-square-foot performance space, the facility is the most sophisticated performing arts venues in northwest New Jersey. The center includes a new state-of-the-art 500-seat theatre (Sitnik Theater), a black box theater (The Edith Bolte Kutz ’42 Theater), a dance studio, scene shop, a costume shop, green room and dressing rooms. In addition to housing the theatre, the 68K square foot Lackland Center is home to a variety of cultural activity, and including WNTI, the College's listener-supported public radio station, CCTV, Centenary's Comcast-licensed television studio, and gallery space for visual artists.
Named in honor of Carol Burgess Lackland, A Centenary graduate (Class of 1954), and her husband, David A. Lackland, a Centenary College Trustee, The David and Carol Lackland Center, has been designed to enrich student life and bring new cultural opportunities to northwest New Jersey. ...more (including photos, progress reports, and 'Tour Lackland with Carl')
| Lackland Seating |
| The Edith Bolte Kutz Theater (Blackbox) Seating Open Seating as the theatre configuration will change depending on the event. Parking [Large Map Link] [Print Map Link] |
Individual Tickets
Individual Tickets are:
| Season Plays |
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| Sat. evenings A Christmas Carol |
$25.00 / $22.50* / $15.00** $27.50 / $25.00* / $17.50** |
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| Other Evening Performances: A Christmas Carol |
$22.50 / $20.00* / $15.00** $25.00 / $22.50* / $17.50** |
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| Matinees (Thurs., Fri. and Sun.): A Christmas Carol |
$20.00 all seats (Fri. Preview Mat.: $17.50 all seats) $22.50 all seats (Fri. Preview Mat.: $20.00 all seats) |
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| Plays Thursday (2 for 1 - at the door only) A Christmas Carol |
$22.00 $25.00 |
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| Buffet
Matinees (luncheon and show - available for groups of 20 or more) A Christmas Carol |
$37.50 (Fri. Preview Mat. Buffet: $35.00) $40.00 (Fri. Preview Mat. Buffet: $37.50) |
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| Season Concert/Dance Events (in advance): | |||
| Ballet and A Far Cry Chamber Orchestra At the door Tommy Tune At the door Dance Fest (except Tommy Tune) All others At the door |
$25.00 / $22.50* /$15.00** $30.00 / $25.00* / $20.00** $35.00 $40.00 $15.00 / $10 child under 12 $22.50 / $20.00* /$15.00** $25.00 / $22.50* / $20.00** |
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| Performances at CSC are made possible (and affordable) through the generous support of The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, The New Jersey State Council on the Arts, The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, and CSC sponsors and members, including Premiere Sponsors Fulton Bank of New Jersey (formerly Skylands Community Bank) and Heath Village Retirement Community, as well as Hackettstown Regional Medical Center, Mama's Café Baci, and Centenary Stage Company Members and Sponsors. |
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