New Century Theatre

New Century Theatre (NCT) kicks off its 20th Anniversary year performing The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) by Adam Long, Daniel Singer & Jess Winfield--all of the works of the Bard in less than 2 hours for Valentine’s Day--Sunday, February 14, 2 p.m. at the Academy of Music Theatre in Northampton.

Primarily a summer theatre company, NCT occasionally produces events beyond the summer months and the Northampton Arts Council is thrilled to bring them into our wintry mix for the second of the Four Sundays in February. The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) is a whirlwind roller coaster tribute to the immortal bard. Three actors, Phil Kilbourne, Sam Rush, and Brian Joseph Smith, take on the daunting task of performing 37 plays and 154 sonnets in under two hours, this comedy sensation delights audiences and critics alike with a breezes through his long body of work in a series of frenetically funny sketches.

General Admission tickets are $16 in advance and $20 at the door.

Advance ticket sales for all shows may be purchased at our website--click here, and in Northampton at the Guild Art Centre and State Street Fruit Store; in Florence at Cooper's Corner; in Amherst at Food for Thought Books; Tickets are also available by credit card at the Northampton Arts Council, 413-587-1069.

Sam Rush and playwright Jack Neary founded New Century Theatre in 1991 - their goal at the time was to make it to the new century - hence the name. This summer NCT celebrates its 20th Anniversary Season. Who knew? NCT's artistic goal remains to produce new works, area premieres and classic dramas and comedies that may not have been produced in a while. NCT produces four summer productions plus PaintBox Theatre, operating in residence at the Mendenhall Center for the Performing Arts on the Smith College campus.

New Century Theatre’s performance of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Abridged for Four Sundays in February is sponsored by Smith College’s Kahn Liberal Arts Institute’s two long-term projects for 2009-2010: Telling Time: Its Meaning and Measurement and Wellness & Disease. There was certainly no better master of theatrical time than Shakespeare—especially when his brilliant use of the temporal is combined with the comedic timing required to condense all of his plays into 90 minutes. And if laughter is truly the best medicine, there is no more entertaining way to wellness!

More Info about New Century Theatre: http://www.newcenturytheatre.org/

New Century Theatre’s performance of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Abridged for Four Sundays in February is a wonderful collaboration for the Kahn Liberal Arts Institute’s two long-term projects for 2009-2010. The Kahn Institute was established in 1998 to offer Smith College faculty the intellectual and physical space to pursue scholarly research in innovative and creative ways, providing new opportunities to work across disciplines. Every academic year the Institute supports one or two yearlong projects, each of which is based on a central research topic. Each project brings together approximately twenty faculty and students, as peers, whose research interests are linked to the core theme and who meet together weekly throughout the year, along with occasional visiting scholars, writers, and performers, to share their ideas, questions and perspectives. This year the project Telling Time: Its Meaning and Measurement is investigating the definition, measurement, interpretations, and significance of time and its effects on how we see and interpret the world. The Kahn Institute’s Wellness & Disease project is examining the presence of disease in our history, culture, social arrangements, and mental constructions, and the ways that attitudes about wellness and illness insinuate themselves into our psyche and our institutions. Whenever possible, the Kahn Institute and its projects seek to draw from and to open its research activities to the wider community. There was certainly no better master of theatrical time than Shakespeare—especially when his brilliant use of the temporal is combined with the comedic timing required to condense all of his plays into 90 minutes. And if laughter is truly the best medicine, there is no more entertaining way to wellness! The Kahn Institute is very pleased to be able to help bring this event to the community.

NCT is an Equity theatre that takes pride in providing employment opportunities for area professional actors, designers and technicians. NCT has become a training ground for many students and emerging professionals who gain valuable experience by working on our productions.

Primarily a summer theatre company, NCT occasionally produces events beyond the summer months. For the last two years they have performed at the Paradise City Arts Festival over Memorial Day Weekend.  More information on the company can be found at newcenturytheatre.org.

Phil Kilbourne has been coming to the Happy Valley since the Ford Administration, performing first for the Mount Holyoke Summer Theatre (60 shows), Pioneer Valley Summer Theatre (8 shows) and of course New Century Theatre, where he has performed in I HATE HAMLET, AN INSPECTOR CALLS, PLAZA SUITE, NOISES OFF, LIGHT UP THE SKY, KONG'S NIGHT OUT, ARSENIC AND OLD LACE, and the first iteration of tonight's COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (ABRIDGED). Phil lives in the Twin Cities of Minnesota, where he works as a professional actor.

Sam Rush is co-founder of New Century Theatre and has served as Producing Director since 1997. Previous NCT directing credits include: ARCADIA, SPINNING INTO BUTTER, MORNINGS AT SEVEN, THE HEIDI CHRONICLES, THE TALE OF THE ALLERGIST'S WIFE, THE DRAWER BOY, SHILOH RULES, NOISES OFF, and PICASSO AT THE LAPIN AGILE. He has directed productions for the Smith College Theatre Department - his most recent being MRS. CALIFORNIA by Doris Baizley. As an actor, Sam appeared in NCT's THE HOUSE OF BLUE LEAVES, THE COCKTAIL HOUR, STONES IN HIS POCKETS, and COPENHAGEN.  Sam has also appeared in several productions at the Majestic Theater including LUMBERJACKS IN LOVE, GUYS ON ICE and THE BOYS NEXT DOOR. He will be appearing this February in A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS. In addition to his duties for New Century Theatre, Sam continues to work for Smith College, where he is the Production Coordinator for the Theatre Department. He is married to actress Cate Damon.

Brian Joseph Smith has enjoyed an eclectic career in theater, education, and other forms of stand-up comedy.  NCT credits include KONG’S NIGHT OUT, THE HOUSE OF BLUE LEAVES, and FIRST NIGHT. Current projects include working with TDS Speech Pathology Associates using acting theory and rehearsal technique to develop social thinking and social skills in children with high functioning autism and other non-verbal learning disabilities. He has read the first act of Hamlet several times.

Tom McCabe (Director) originally directed COMPLETE WORKS for New Century Theatre 11 seasons ago. Tom is best known as "The Storyteller." For 30 years he has toured the US and abroad offering spoken word programs to more than a million folks including performances at The White House and The Kennedy Center. Currently, Tom is Founder/Artistic Director of PaintBox Theatre.

Nikki Beck (Stage Manager) is a Smith College graduate with a BA in Theatre and French Studies.  Since returning to Northampton, she has worked with Pioneer Valley Ballet, the Majestic Theater and New Century Theatre, where she was also the Company Manager in 2008. She is currently producing Northampton High’s Bye Bye Birdie and stage-managing Jesus Christ Superstar for PACE Theater. In 2009, she started her own company, Thin Man Theatre (info at www.thinmantheatre.com ).

Amy Davis (Set Design)Amy is thrilled to be designing NCT's THE COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (ABRIDGED). Previous NCT credits include the sets for Sight Unseen, Kong's Night Out and Kimberly Akimbo. A member of USA 829, Amy received her MFA in Scenic Design from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Amy’s diverse background has found her working on the sets of films, theatrical productions and television for companies on the east and west coast as well as Canada, Europe and Israel. In 2006, Amy founded New City Scenic & Display Inc., with partner Andrew Stuart. New City Scenic is a multidisciplinary design and fabrication company, specializing in event design, themed environments, and interior design.

Elizabeth Smolin (Costume Designer). THE COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (ABRIDGED) marks Beth’s 14th production design for NCT. Other NCT costume credits include: ARCADIA, ARSENIC AND OLD LACE, THE GLASS MENAGERIE, SIGHT UNSEEN, THE UNDERPANTS, MORNINGS AT SEVEN, THE HEIDI CHRONICLES, CRUMBS FROM THE TABLE OF JOY, PROOF, THE TALE OF THE ALLERGIST’S WIFE, ANTON IN SHOW BUSINESS, THE DRAWER BOY and INSPECTING CAROL.  She has also designed costumes for The Theater Project at the Majestic Theater (Springfield), the Pioneer Valley Summer Theatre, the Summer Theatre at Mt. Holyoke College, Smith College and Amherst College.  This past fall, Beth traveled to Kragujevac, Serbia with Serious Play! Theatre Ensemble as costume designer for the European premier of Milan Dragicevich’s MILOSEVIC AT THE HAGUE. She is currently the Costume Shop Supervisor at Hampshire College.