New River Dramatists, a nonprofit theater workshop based in the N.C. mountains, is back for its second annual Davidson residency this week. The group invites theater-lovers to sit in on its unique script-development sessions daily, attend a youth theater playwriting session, or watch a Saturday night staged reading of “Absence,” a new play by Wendy Hammond, in a fund-raiser for Davidson Community Players. The group also joins the ongoing Davidson Comprehensive Plan project, by presenting a dramatization about our town’s vision for the future on Sunday.

Also below, Davidson Community Players is up for Theatre Company of the Year and two 2008-9 Davidson College Theater Department productions (“Hamlet” and “Company”) are up for the outstanding college and university production award later this month at the 6th annual Metrolina Theater Awards.

Meanwhile, find out what’s on the college stage during the 2009-10 season, which begins with Moliere’s “Tartuffe” in October. Listings for those and other local theater events below.

‘ABSENCE’ READING

Davidson Community Players and New River Dramatists will host a staged reading of “Absence,” by Wendy Hammond, on Saturday, Sept. 12, at 7 p.m. It’s a benefit for Davidson Community Players and includes a Tuscan-themed cocktail reception provided by Campania Café.

Actors Randell Haynes and Patricia Randell will perform the show, a gripping two-character drama about a young, idealistic Mormon couple in 1945.  Peter, a brilliant Harvard graduate, is recruited into the CIA leading him into an increasingly secretive and dangerous life.  Spanning 60 years, the hard choices forced upon Mary when Peter’s military career leaks its way into their marriage challenge their love and their life together.  This reading comes in advance of the play’s United States premiere in mid-October, at People’s Light & Theatre in Pennsylvania.

The evening takes place at the Armour Street Theatre, 307 Armour St. Tax-deductible ticket donations are $30 and include the reception and play reading.  Seating is limited.  To make a reservation call 704-892-7953 or purchase tickets online through www.carolinatix.org.

The benefit is among a week’s worth of readings, a youth session, and an unusual dramatization in response to the Davidson Comprehensive Plan. Full schedule below.

METROLINA THEATER AWARDS

Last year’s Davidson College Theater Department productions of “Hamlet” and “Company” are among the five nominees for “Outstanding Production” in the College and University category of the 6th annual Metrolina Theatre Association Theatre Awards.

Davidson Community Players’ “West Side Story” is up for Outstanding Production in the Regional-North area. And Davidson Community Players is also nominated for Theatre Company of the Year.

A long list of local actors, directors and behind-the-scenes experts are also nominated. Read more about the event and this year’s nominees at http://metrolinatheatre.org.
The awards ceremony, which some call Charlotte’s own version of the Tony Awards, is scheduled Sunday, Sept. 20, at McGlohon Theater in Spirit Square, Tryon Street, Charlotte.

The association encompasses more than 50 organizations, as well as actors, directors, and producers across the region. The evening begins with “red-carpet” arrivals at 5:30, and a reception before the 7 p.m. curtain. The show includes scenes from the past theater season.
Tickets are $25 in advance, $30 at the door. Call Blumenthal Performing Arts Center box office at 704-372-1000, or purchase online at http://carolinatix.org.

KIDS DRAMA CLASSES

Davidson Community Players Connie Co. offers fall drama classes for kids, tweens and teens beginning the week of Sept. 21

Classes include theater play and improvisation for elementary schoolers, homeschool theater classes, and “Monologue and Scene Study,” “Play Production,” a “Young Women’s Acting Ensemble” and “Musical Theater Technique” for middle and high school students. Some classes for teens may require an audition.

The classes are offered in cooperation with Davidson Parks & Recreation. For registration information and complete schedule, visit d-recs.org.

For Information about the Connie Company email artistic director Melissa Ohlman-Roberge or call 704-892-7953.

THEATER AT DAVIDSON

Davidson College’s theater department will kick off its 2009-10 season with a production of Moliere’s “Tartuffe,” directed by professor Ann Marie Costa, Oct. 23-31 at Duke Family Performance Hall.

“Tartuffe” is a funny and provocative French comedy about the spiritual counselor to the well-to-do Orgon. But Tartuffe turns out to be a fraud and has his eye on Orgon’s wife and fortune. It’s a play full of hilarious twists and turns. Christopher Hampton’s colloquial translation gives new insights into this tale of religious hypocrites and those taken in by them.

“Tartuffe” is the first of two Mainstage productions at Duke Family Performance Hall. In March, the theater department produces Ken Ludwig’s “Leading Ladies,” a hilarious new comedy about love, theatre and cross dressing, by the author of “Lend Me a Tenor.” Directed by theater professor Mark Sutch, “Leading Ladies” runs March 24-28.

In the college’s second stage series, in The Barber Theatre in Cunningham Theatre Center, the calendar includes: “Alice in Wonderland” (Nov. 11-15), Rupert Barber’s “Annavel and the Funny Little Man: A Rumplestiltskin Tale” (Jan. 22-24), “Nine Parts of Desire” by Heather Raffo, an examination of the lives of several Iraqi women at the dawn of the 21st century, based on interviews (Feb. 17-21). April will bring the spring student production series and two series of student one-act plays.

For more information about the series, go to the 2009-10 theater schedule on the college website.

WAREHOUSE PAC WRITING WORKSHOPS

Warehouse Performing Arts Center in Cornelius offers a variety of writing workshops this fall to inspire creativity and self-exploration.  They include the “Art of the Personal Essay” and “Writing Your Life” with Rosie Molinary, memoire writing with Gilda Morina Syverson, poetry classes, with L.B. Green and Terri Wolfe.

Full descriptions, registration information, and instructor bios are available on the Warehouse PAC website:
www.warehousepac.com.  
Or email Marla Brown at:  marla@warehousepac.com for any questions. Warehouse PAC is at 9216-A Westmoreland Road, Cornelius.

THEATER CALENDAR

New River Dramatists 2009 Davidson Residency

THURSDAY TO SATURDAY, SEPT. 11-13, and MONDAY TO WEDENESDAY, SEPT. 14-16, 1 p.m. daily except Sept. (noon), Armour Street Theater, 307 Armour St. – New River Dramatists 2009 Davidson residency offers public sessions where you’ll be able to watch the nonprofit drama incubator in action. These script-development sessions are guided by the artistic director and supported by other playwrights, performers and feedback from observers. Watch the next great American play as it’s born. Details: 704-892-7953. Hosted by Davidson Community Players, www.davidsoncommunityplayers.org

SATURDAY, SEPT. 12, 9 a.m., Warehouse Performing Arts Center, 9216-A Westmoreland Rd., off Statesville Road, Cornelius – New River Dramatists conducts a Young Playwrights Session, bringing its new play development process to young playwrights. Readings will be conducted of works in progress by several local teen writers. Open to the public.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 12, 7 p.m., Armour Street Theatre, Armour and Watson streets – New River Dramatists and Davidson Community Players present a cocktail reception and benefit with a staged reading of “Absence,” a new play by Wendy Hammond. The play will debut in October at People’s Light & Theater in Pennsylvania. $30 per person, proceeds go to Davidson Community Players. Info and tickets at 704-892-7918 or online.

TUESDAY, SEPT. 15, 7 p.m., Armour Street Theater, 307 Armour St. – “Talking with New River: At the Heart of New Play Development.” A community even presented by New River Dramatists discussing the state of new plays in the U.S. and their process for new play development. How can our local arts scene cultivate and support new works? Moderated by Marla Brown of the Warehouse Performing Arts Center in Cornelius.

SUNDAY, SEPT 13, 1 p.m., Armour Street Theater, 307 Armour St. – “Visions of the Future: A Response to the Davidson Comprehensive Plan.” New River Dramatists will present a dramatization and response to the plan, which has been under development over the past year by consultants, planners and local citizen committees, who are drafting a new vision for future development in Davidson.

SUNDAY, SEPT. 20 7 p.m., McGlohon Theatre, Spirit Square, Charlotte – 6th annual Metrolina Theatre Association Theatre Awards. Nominees and other info at http://metrolinatheatre.org. Tickets are $25 in advance, $30 at the door. Call Blumenthal Performing Arts Center box office at 704-372-1000, or purchase online at http://carolinatix.org.

SUNDAY AND MONDAY, SEPT. 27-28, Armour Street Theatre, 307 Armour St. Auditions for Davidson Community Players’ December production of “It’s a Wonderful Life,” directed by Anne Lambert. Times: 6 p.m. for youth, 7 p.m. for adults, consisting of cold readings from the script. Bring a resume or list of theater experience, a recent picture and a list of conflicts for the October-December time period. Callbacks will be Sunday, Oct. 4 at 6 p.m.; rehearsals begin Oct. 12, 7 p.m. Requires 9 or 10 men, 7 or 8 women and 4 children (2 boys, 2 girls). www.davidsoncommunityplayers.org

OCT. 8-25, Davidson Community Players’ Armour Street Theatre, 307 Armour St. – “Almost Maine,” directed by Melissa Ohlman-Roberge. www.davidsoncommunityplayers.org

OCT. 23-25 and OCT. 30-31, Davidson College Duke Family Performance Hall – The Davidson College Theatre Department’s 2009-10 Mainstage Series begins with “Tartuffe” by Moliere, translated by Christopher Hampton, directed by theater professor Ann Marie Costa. Performances Oct. 23-24 and Oct. 30-31 at 8 p.m., Oct. 25 at 2 p.m. (Recommended for ages 13 and up.) Admission $15, seniors $11, faculty/staff $9, students $6. Details: 704-894-2135 or www.davidson.edu/tickets

DEC. 3-20, Davidson Community Players Armour Street Theater, 307 Armour St. – “It’s a Wonderful Life,” directed by Anne Lambert. www.davidsoncommunityplayers.org

NOV. 11-14, Cunningham Theater Center Barber Theater – Davidson College theater department presents “Alice in Wonderland,” script by the Manhattan Theatre Project under the direction of Andre Gregory. Directed by Davidson senior Samantha Karlin. An innovative adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s uproarious books is aimed at adults as it brings out the classic stories’ darkness, surreality and loopy humor. Shows Wednesday, Nov. 11 to Saturday, Nov. 14 at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 15, 2 p.m. Details on the college website.

FEB. 17-21, Cunningham Theater Center Barber Theater – Davidson College theater department presents “Nine Parts of Desire” by Heather Raffo, directed by Sharon Green. The play, based on interviews, examines the lives of several Iraqi women at the dawn of the 21st century. Performances Wednesday, Feb. 17, to Saturday, Feb. 20, 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Feb. 21, 2 p.m. Details on the college website.

JAN. 22-24, Cunningham Theater Center Barber Theater – Davidson College theater department presents “Annavel and the Funny Little Man: A Rumplestiltskin Tale,” as retold for children of all ages by Rupert T. Barber Jr., directed by Melissa Ohlman-Roberge. Performances Friday, Jan. 22, at 4:30 and 7 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 23, 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 and 4:30 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 24, 12:30, 2:30 and 4:30 p.m. Details on the college website.

MARCH 23-28, Davidson College Duke Family Performance Hall – The Davidson College Theatre Department’s 2009-10 Mainstage Series concludes with “Leading Ladies,” by Ken Ludwig, directed by theater professor Mark Sutch. Performances March 24-25 at 7:30 p.m., March 26-27 at 8 p.m., and March 28 at 2 p.m. Admission $15, seniors $11, faculty/staff $9, students $6. Details: 704-894-2135 or www.davidson.edu/tickets

APRIL 2010, Cunningham Theatre Center, Barber Theatre – Davidson College theater department Spring Student Production Series: April 15-16 at 7:30 p.m., Studio Theatre Class Production; April 22-23, 7:30 p.m., One-act series I; April 29-30, 7:30 p.m., One-act series II. Details on the college website.