PEP Productions

August 1, 2008
Contact: Paul Ellis
Phone: 845-469-7563

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Chester Youth Theater Presents Showcase August 15

The Chester Youth Theater, a 6 week training program for serious students of theater between the ages of fourteen and eighteen, began this summer at the Lycian Centre. The Theater Training Program provides young people from the Orange County region with quality training in theater arts and to increase community exposure to theater arts in a state-of-the-art theater venue. The six-week Theater Training Program, end with a performance on August 15 entitled Short Stops.

Acting classes which have include improvisation, scene study, movement and voice as well as internal process, rhythm and pacing will culminate in a series of one act plays. The evening of plays, Short Stops is designed to highlight the work of the eleven students enrolled in the program. The pieces were selected from a collection of short plays from the Actors Theater of Louisville’s playwright’s festival. The program allows each student to participate in a complete role and offer multiple challenges for the actors. The performances are open to the public. The students, each playing two roles include, Gabrielle Fletcher, Patrick Fletcher, Emily Gorman, Siobhan Hill, Dana Kempinger, Isaac Kiernan, Alexander Klie, Jamie Kracht, Lauren Lazzari, Daniel Shanker, and Celeana Triantis.

Paul Ellis whose background in theater has included directing, producing and writing for the stage directed the workshop with the assistance of Holly Gorman professional actress and graduate of SUNY Binghamton with a theater degree. Ellis has worked in what he refers to as “the show business” for 38 years. “Having worked for so many years in professional settings I have found that the sooner a serious acting student can begin developing real stage skills the better, said Ellis, I started at the age of nineteen and have been fortunate to have worked with some of the best. They were very generous and I believe I can direct students toward their goals with a clear understanding of what is expected in the acting process. These students have far exceeded my expectations and I would love to continue working with them. Any one of them has the potential to succeed in this business. Their parents should be proud.”

The program is sponsored in part by the Chester Parks and Recreation Department, The Lycian Centre and PEP productions. The Performance is open to the public tickets are $10 and can be reserved by calling 469-7563.