THE GLASS MENAGERIE & A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM to Open Masterworks Theater Company's Inaugural Season

Eric Krebs, Founding Director; Christopher Scott, Artistic Director, announce the creation of Masterworks Theater Company, a professional equity theater company whose repertoire will include the masterworks of the theater (plays, musicals and stage adaptation of novels) that every young person should have an opportunity to experience. These works are often part of the students' required reading. Masterworks Theater Company will offer a school-friendly schedule with affordable ticket prices ($33 for student groups; $45 - $65 for non-students), with performances taking place at Times Square's 47th Street Theater (304 West 47th Street).

Beginning in May of 2015 Masterworks Theater Company will present the first of its masterworks, Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie (May) followed by Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream (June). In addition to the live theatrical experience, Masterworks Theater Company will also offer study-guides as well as teacher workshops with each production to help enrich the student's experience.

"I have worked in professional theatre for 40 years. In that time, I have produced over 100 shows on Broadway, Off Broadway, and Off Off Broadway, founded New Jersey's George Street Playhouse, and founded and operated two of Off Broadway's best known theaters (John Houseman and Douglas Fairbanks). I have taught Introduction to Theater to over 30,000 students at Rutgers University and CUNY, managed the School Theater Ticket Program which promotes live theatre to over 12,000 school and university locations, founded StudentRush.Org which has placed more than 50,000 "butts in seats" over the past 4 years and served as Chairman of the Board for Amas Musical Theater. As a result of these experiences I have developed a vision for a new and most important theater company: Masterworks Theater Company." Founding Director, Eric Krebs

Christopher Scott, Artistic Director explains "Plays on the page are just blueprints for the unique, ephemeral experience that is theatre. While you may employ video or filmed versions of such masterpieces, they ultimately are just color, sound, and light creating a replica of what was done at another time. These can be helpful, but nothing can compare with the immediate experience of flesh and blood beings working through a problem which is at the essence of the human experience. Most students are not introduced to dramatic masterpieces in a way that they can relate to and find a personal connection. Many times, the understanding of these plays is as flat as the paper (or computer screen) the student is reading from. It is our job to create that connection for these students in a very real way with great productions."