North Star Theater Company Presents It's First Show Of The 2021 Season

North Star Theater Company presents its second season's opening show, "An Evening In Spoon River," a night of music, art, dance and theater. The show will be held at Cornerstone Playhouse, located at 74 Main Street in Sussex, N.J.

The performances of "An Evening In Spoon River" will be held on Friday, May 21, at 7 p.m., Saturday, May 22, at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. and Sunday, May 23, at 2 p.m. Tickets are $20 for adults and $17 for seniors 65 and above and students 17 and below. To purchase tickets for "An Evening In Spoon River," visit www.northstartheater.org.

Directed by Kelly Dacus-Smith, of Sparta, produced by Jodi Halteman, of Andover, and stage managed by Zachary Halteman of Andover, the show consists of excerpts of monologues from Edgar Lee Master's "Spoon River Anthology" depicting life of a rural town from the perspective of the deceased. Music and dance are in dispersed throughout the show, either responding to or reflecting upon each townsperson's experience who lived in the town of Spoon River. Art work can be viewed prior to the show and then experienced as a backdrop when the performance begins.

North Star Theater Company has partnered with several creative groups and performers who all reside in Sussex County to help create a dynamic creation of art disciplines within the performance.

"There were many artists who were unable to perform or showcase their work during the pandemic, and North Star Theater thought "An Evening In Spoon River" would be the perfect opportunity to bring artists together in this unique theatrical setting." Dacus-Smith continues, "It's a collaboration of art forms that create a collage of hope, reflection and inspiration as our community reawakens from the pandemic."

North Star Theater Company's artistic collaboration includes music direction by cellist Aimee Nishimura, of Branchville and her music students, dancers performing from Dance Expression Dance Arts dance company, located in Hamburg, and artwork provided by students from Wallkill Valley Regional High School. The performers are all from Sussex County.

Performers include Zachary Halteman, of Andover; Phil Cocilovo of Montague, Sparta residents Anmarie DeGiovanni, Bill Fell, Rowan Mendel, Allison Ognibene, Ella Simmons, Nate Simmons, Kelly Dacus-Smith, Miranda Smith, Sabrina Smith, Todd Smith, Sierra Trapanese; Sussex residents Emily Brunner and Kaela Brunner; and Vernon residents Jim Berkheiser, Alex Bisanzio, Julia Chmielowiec, Kim Knabb and Maya Sauer.

North Star Theater Company will also be performing "The Cemetery Club" at Cornerstone Playhouse in September 2021. Tickets will go on sale in August. To get involved with North Star Theater Company, join its facebook page at @northstartheater or email northstartheatercompany@gmail.com.

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