Theatre Nouveau casts The Shakespeare Lonely Hearts Club, a collection of four short plays

Theatre Nouveau has cast its first production for 2024, The Shakespeare Lonely Hearts Club, which will run at The Basil Burwell Theatre in Belfast, opening on Friday, May 31. This new piece, a collection of four short plays written by Suzanne Ramczyk, the company’s artistic director, addresses loneliness, particularly among seniors. 

The Cast of Shakespeare Lonely Hearts Club

“The four categorizations of Shakespeare’s plays – the histories, the comedies, the tragedies and the romances – provide the overall structuring for this quartet,” said Suzanne Ramczyk. “Scenes from Shakespeare’s canon are woven into the dramatic action as an integral part of the characters’ evolving relationships,” she added.

In two of the pieces, the comedy and the romance, two elderly women, living in a senior residence, navigate friendship and create new ways to counteract their loneliness. In the history, a divorced couple runs into each other after many years apart. Shakespeare was a significant part of their former relationship, but can the Bard’s work bring them back together? In the tragedy, which takes place during a tumultuous civil war, an isolated elderly woman must find the strength to carry off what could be her final self-surpassing act.

The cast includes Theatre Nouveau company members, Cory Burns, Susan McConnell and Kathleen Reilly. Joining them are Maine-based actors Michael Crockett and Lisa Stathoplos; and Elaine McKee Bragan is new to the Belfast stage. Boston-based actor Melanie Winters completes the cast. Camden-based actor Joseph Cote is the Stage Manager. (photo attached)

Performances are set for May 31, June 1, 7, and 8 at 7:00 pm and June 2 and 9 at 2:00 pm at the Basil Burwell Theatre at 17 Court St. in Belfast, Maine. All tickets are $20.00. Tickets and information are available at www.theatrenouveau.org. Email contact theatrenouveau2023@gmail.com

A Message from the Artistic Director, April 3, 2024

Dear Friends of Theatre Nouveau,

First and foremost, a hearty THANKS to all who have supported us through our first season! We were overwhelmed by the enormity of the positive reactions and feedback to our first two productions.

For our inaugural show, The Madwoman of Chaillot – Uncensored, produced in Mary Weaver’s Playhouse in Belfast, we were sorry to turn away far too many would-be patrons. But what a welcome surprise to sell out our entire run! We sincerely hope that those of you whom we could not seat will try again this season! 

Next, we were thrilled to mount our second production, AddictionSpeaks Again, at the Masker’s Basil Burwell Theatre. This original play, based on true stories from residents of Maine, addresses the difficult subject of addiction and therefore we played to smaller audiences. Nevertheless, in post-show discussions audience descriptions of the show included “astounding,” “brilliant,” “riveting,” and “so very necessary!” One patron was moved to note, “This is the best theatre I’ve seen in Maine in the past twenty years!”

Moving forward to our Spring 2024 offering, we had originally scheduled a new farce, The Online Bride, a large-cast show with several contemporary “talking points” of social concern. After much reflection, however, we decided that attempting to present such a complicated production was too great of a challenge for us at this point in our development. Instead, we are excited to mount The Shakespeare Lonely Hearts Club for our spring play. This new piece, a collection of four short plays, addresses the topic of loneliness, particularly among seniors. The four major modern categorizations of Shakespeare’s plays – the Histories, the Comedies, the Tragedies and the Romances – provide the overall structuring of this quartet. In each of these plays, scenes from the Shakespearean canon significantly enhance the stories. 

In two of the pieces, the Comedy and the Romance, two elderly women, who live in a senior living residence, navigate friendship and create new ways to counteract their loneliness, including the founding of a Shakespeare club. In the History, a divorced couple runs into each other after many years apart. Shakespeare was a significant part of their former relationship, but can the Bard’s work bring them back together? In the Tragedy, which takes place during a tumultuous civil war, an isolated elderly woman must find the strength to carry off what could be her final self-surpassing act.

Performances are set for May 31, June 1, 7, and 8 at 7:00 pm and June 2 and 9 at 2:00 pm.  Performances will take place at the Basil Burwell Theatre at 17 Court St. in Belfast, Maine. All tickets are $20.00. Watch for ticket information at www.theatrenouveau.org.

Happy Spring! We hope to see you soon! Suzanne Ramczyk, Artistic Director

Auditions Announced for Spring 2024 Production

Theatre Nouveau, situated in Belfast and Midcoast Maine’s new theatre with a contemporary social conscience, is auditioning for their third production, 

The Online Bride, a comedic/farcical mash-up of plays by Moliere and William Wycherley, with a “smidgen” of Oscar Wilde thrown in. Penned by Artistic Director, Suzanne Ramczyk, the play is a “send up” of outdated notions of the role of married women in contemporary society, in addition to charlatans professing new-age approaches to medicine and wellness, and the dark side of the Internet. The production is highly energized and accented by several choreographed movement sections.

Performances are set for May 30th through June 8th at the Basil Burwell Theatre in Belfast. Rehearsals will begin on April 21st and are scheduled from 6:00 to 9:30 on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday at St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church in Belfast. (95 Court St.)

Synopsis: Argan is the aging and hypochondriacal patriarch of the family, who purchases a young, “innocent” bride on the Internet. He hopes to marry someone who will fit the stereotypical 1950s housewife and whom he will be able to shield from the ways of young 21st century urbanites. He is obsessed with maintaining youthfulness and employs two health-fitness-wellness-spiritual advisors (who are charlatans) towards achieving his goal. 

The bride arrives from Los Angeles but she is not quite what he bargained for. Soon after, Jack Horner, who is hired to design and make the bride’s dress, arrives with Cleante, Julie’s (Argan’s younger daughter) fiance. Jack and the bride are immediately attracted to each other; Horner decides to present himself as a “castrato” (eunuch) so that he can be alone with the bride and have fun with others in the process. Horner and June (the bride) fall in love and commit to each other.

Throw in Argan’s level-headed sister and his two daughters, along with the Internet’s “Alexa,” and madness ensues! Everyone is in love with either Jack or the bride - or both; Argan tries to tame his young bride and suffers imaginary heart attacks in the process; “Alexa” (the voice of the Internet) intrudes; sexual exploits are suggested between Horner and others; physical fights ensue; and Argan must take his veritable “pratfall” at the end so that he gets his comeuppance!  All the lovers unite and commit to each other though not in traditional marriage.

CASTING

We are looking to cast at least six of the ten roles in the play as follows: 

JACK HORNER: (M. 20s –  early 40s): Modeled after Wycherley’s Horner in The Country Wife, he pretends to be a “castrato” (a eunuch) in order to seduce the young bride. 

JUNE, the bride: (F. late teens-30s). Modeled after Wycherley’s Country Wife, she is the presumed young and innocent fiancée that Argan (the patriarch) orders online, whom he tries to shield from the outside world. However, she “actualizes” herself in the course of the play, thereby becoming a strong, independent young woman who can make her own decisions. She falls in love with Jack Horner.

TINA: (F. 20s – “40s) Modeled after the charlatan “doctor” in Moliere’s The Imaginary Invalid, and Moliere’s tricky servants, she is one of Argan’s fitness and wellness coaches who will profess whatever it takes to for financial gain. (Actor must move well.)

ANGIE OR ANGEL (F/M/Non-Binary 20s to 50s) Modeled after the charlatan “doctor” in Moliere’s The Imaginary Invalid and Moliere’s tricky servants, she is one of Argan’s fitness and wellness coaches who will profess whatever it takes to for financial gain.

SUSANA: (F. 20s to 40) Argan’s eldest daughter: opinionated, a feminist, intelligent, and out-spoken. Calls out her dad regarding his sexist and, what she perceives to be, his unenlightened ways. (Actor must move well.)

JULIE: (F. late teens to early 30s) Argan’s younger daughter, very feminine, engaged to Cleante. Not as confrontational as Susana.

Note: Actors playing Tina, Angie(Angel), Susana, and Julie will play other small roles

NOTE: ACTORS ARE PAID A STIPEND FOR THEIR WORK.

Audition Times

Auditions will be held at St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church, 95 Court St., Belfast, on SUNDAY, FEB. 25TH and MONDAY, FEB. 26TH, with Callbacks on TUESDAY, FEB. 27TH at 6:00 pm – 9:30.  Actors are welcome to arrive any time from 6-8:30. Actors unable to make it on the 25th or 26th may come to callbacks on the 27th.

Audition “sides” can be provided by sending a resume to smramczyk@gmail.com. If you do not have a resume, please include your necessary personal info and a list of your acting experience so that you will be sent an appropriate side. 

We perform at the Basil Burwell Theatre, 17 Court St., Belfast, ME

Any other questions or concerns may be sent to theatrenouveau2023@gmail.com

ABOUT THEATRE NOUVEAU

Our mission is  to enrich our community with quality theatre productions that push the boundaries of theatre in order to create inspirational and transformative works that incite thoughtful dialogue. Our provocative and entertaining plays address contemporary relevant social issues primarily through the reimagining of the classics and presentation in intimate performance venues.

Theatre Nouveau Casts Second Production, AddictionSpeaks Again, a contemporary tragedy

Theatre Nouveau, a new theatre company with a social conscience in Belfast, Maine, has announced the cast for its second production, AddictionSpeaks Again, a contemporary tragedy, which will run at The Basil Burwell Theatre in Belfast from October 27 through November 5. 

Artistic Director Suzanne Ramczyk will direct the piece. The cast, all from Midcoast Maine, includes Cory Burns, Peter Conant, Lisa Goodridge, Beverly Mann, Susan McConnell and Kathleen Reilly. Latricia Saucier will be the stage manager.

Following the success of the company’s sold-out production of The Madwoman of Chaillot—Uncensored, Ramczyk adapted her original piece – AddictionSpeaks, which was produced in Belfast in 2019.

“The subject matter, substance abuse, is as relevant today as it was four years ago, the current statistics for Maine and Waldo County attest to this fact,” Ramczyk said. The play brings to life true stories of addiction obtained from people living throughout Maine. 

The new adaptation maintains most of the stories from the 2019 play and adds several new ones. This production, unlike the original, is in the format of Greek tragedy, an appropriate vehicle for profound expressions of loss, grief and injustice. 

For more information about the play, its schedule and Theatre Nouveau visit: www.theatrenouveau.org or email theatrenouveau2023@gmail.com with questions.
Tickets will go on sale in late September for $20 each at https://belfastmaskers.com/
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Media contact: Suzanne Ramczyk - smramczyk@gmail.com