(BRANCHBURG, NJ) -- Raritan Valley Community College’s Arts & Design department will present a student theatre production, Spring Studio ’22, Wednesday-Saturday, April 13-16, at 7:00pm, in the Welpe Theatre at the College’s Branchburg campus. The studio production features a cast of 20 in lively scenes full of humor, all unified by their studio setting. The bill includes three superb offerings by RVCC Professor of Theatre Dennis Russo.
During the evening of stand-alone stories, audience member will witness the following and more: a first brave Valentine/Prom invitation; a well-meaning if strange ambush after a job termination; the Anime Club’s nerdy ranks declaring war with the Wrestlers and Thespian clubs; hospital waiting-room grace appearing via a crossword; a novice at prayer offering advice to God; a three-sibling, legally required attic rummage revealing perspective on parental love; a desperate and determined teen pursuing his New York City dance dream in 1954; and airport downtime when brothers finally learn to share—and love!
The Spring Studio ’22 production also will feature work by guest artist, playwright Roy Barry, a member of the Playwright and Directors Unit at New York City’s prestigious Actor’s Studio where several of his works have been presented. Barry’s performance resume of 30-plus years is wide, rich and varied, including five Broadway shows: Hello Dolly, The Yearling, Follies, Coco and Maggie Flynn. The scene presented in Spring Studio ’22 is from a memoir play, A Bushwick State of Mind.
The cast includes: Omar Ahmed (Dunellen); Natasha Bird (Millington); Joshua Blankman (Basking Ridge); Rachel Calderon Montes (Zarephath); Curtis Glover (Franklin Township); Alyssa Graf (Hillsborough); Fio Grimaldi (Somerville); Marcus Hernandez (Hackettstown); Kathy McClain (Hillsborough); Joseph McDevitt (Annandale); Bradley Moore (Branchburg); Matthew Perez (Hatfield, PA); Rolan Refugio Ramirez (Franklin Township); Katie Semon (Alpha); Madeline Shallop (Bound Brook); Genevieve Tenney (Montgomery Township); Chris Voelker (Flemington); Cam’Ron Wallace (Franklin Township); and Max Warner (Middlesex).
Co-direction is by Dennis Russo (Wayne) and Danielle Barry (Bridgewater). The crew includes Emily Torres (North Plainfield), stage management; Olena Sen (Bridgewater), properties; and Hannah Soria (Franklin Township), crew/house. Technical design/direction is by Kenny Savoy (Piscataway) and Dave Porter (Clinton Township).
The event is free of charge and open to the public. The production is approximately 90 minutes in length with an intermission. Spring Studio ’22 includes some mature content and language and is appropriate for ages 15 and older.
Raritan Valley Community College (RVCC) is located at 118 Lamington Road in Branchburg, New Jersey.
