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March 25, 2018
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What an Audience...
What An Event...
What Fun!

 

What Fun our CELEBRATE 30 CABARET was!

Deepest thanks to all the performers, speakers and our Incredible and dedicated staff for pulling off this resplendent riotous retrospective! (Alliteration in honor of Tim Tavcar who was unable to join us - but always with us in spirit!) 

Even with all our experience over these 30 years, we were unprepared for how wonderful, entertaining, moving, and spectacularly special this night would be.

Founding Artistic Director Kim Bent performs "The Kid" in Gunslinger with producing artistic director Kathleen Keenan, photo by Mike FureyKim Allen Bent & Kathleen Keenan perform Gunslinger phonto Mike Furey

An audience who was so familiar with performers. Performers' so familiar with one another despite not seeing one another for years. - Everyone performing at The Cabaret is the “original artist” in that role for LNT. How cool is that??  The performers ability to slip right back into roles they hadn't performed in 5-10-15-20 years was astounding! (Although some had the advantage of just doing the roles that they presented just one season ago!)

We are so grateful for, and humbled to have, the support of all the artists tonight who are donating their time and talent to celebrate LNT as well as some of their favorite shows, scenes and songs! ? And for those new to LNT - it was like a crash course in our history at City Hall Auditorium. The evening featured songs & scenes alternating with live speakers (actors, board members, playwrights and stage managers). A theme of excellence, family, and doing more than anyone thought possible definitely emerged! 

"the Princes" Rick Ames and Aaron Aubrey recreate 'Agony' from 2017's Into the Woods, accompanied by Daniel Bruce. photo by Mike Furey"the Princes" Rick Ames and Aaron Aubrey recreate 'Agony' from 2017's Into the Woods, accompanied by Daniel Bruce. photo by Mike Furey

Ya know it was something gloriously special when folks hung around in the lobby for over an hour after the show was over!

Our EmCee G. Richard Ames handled all the curve balls the rowdy and thoroughly engaged audience threw at him - his ad libs were quick quips of good humor at its best. With his14 years with the company, he also served as an effective "connector" - breaking out in Japanese song after Katherine Paterson spoke (he was part of our 2006 production of her play/musical Tale of the Mandarin Ducks in 2006) and lines from  "The Crucible" after Meredith Watson's video testimonial. (Meredith was Tibitua in 2013's Crucible). And Daniel Bruce ably accompanied from shows from one to 26 seasons ago!

playbill & performer credits from our celebrate 30 cabaret "Beamed in" were director/shakespearean actor Gus Kaikkonen, actors Kate Kenney, Eric Love, Meredith Watson, Ashley Nease, designer Ellen Jones, and former students Mike Bresette, Seth Chalmer, & Liz Gilbert.


LNT is also so lucky to have the support of its amazing volunteers and the businesses sponsoring this great event.
With your help, we can continue our mission of providing quality professional performance, education & community programs year-round for another 30 seasons – and beyond!


So THANK YOU G Richard Ames, Ben Ash, Aaron Aubrey, Dona Bate, Kim Bent, Mike Bresette, Daniel Bruce, Seth Chalmer, Elizabeth Gilbert, Thomas Gunn, Ellen E Jones, Gus Kaikkonen, Kathleen Keenan, Kate Kenney, Amanda Menard, Eric Love, Ashley Nease, Maura O'Brien, Katherine Paterson, William Pelton, Renzo Scott Renzoni, Mark S. Roberts, Christopher Scheer, Meredith Watson, Carolyn Wesley, Kris Weir, George Woodard and Ashley Zoglman. With a shout out to outstanding volunteers behind the scenes Lauren EA Aradi, Mary Dobbins Laura Gist (idea co-originator - with Thomas!), O. Veronica Lopez, Pat Keenan, Pat & Hank Babcock, and Chris Zahm and Michael Zahm. And to that evening's volunteer crew: Melissa, Marjorie, Kim, Ingrid & Mary! THANKS

And enjoy some of these video testimonials!


Mike Bresette & Liz Gilbert (now both working in NYC) who were students and performed on LNT's mainstage starting in 2004 (for Mike- "Fleance " in Macbeth) and 2008 for Liz (Scout in To Kill A Mockingbird).
They played brother and sister numerous times (including Miracle Worker and Mockingbird), and it's so heartwarming to see that they still are like brother & sister!

 


Ashley Nease - a professional actor/singer from Vermont who started working with LNT in 2012 (after having moved to NYC). Ash has been a big part of the recent company. (Shows include Two For Christmas, Blues in the Night, As You Like It, and Judevine.) She's followed by Seth Chalmer - a performer, now Rabbi, who "grew up" with LNT - starting as a student with us at age 11 or 12 in 1995, and continuing thru his first professional acting career years thru 2003. (Seth's shows include Godot, You Can't Take It with You, Lost in Yonkers, and 1940's Radio Hour.)

 

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