Mettawee River Theater Company At Windsor Lake July 29

By Susan Bush
12:00AM / Monday, July 25, 2005

Masks, costumes, and movement are the hallmarks of Mettawee River Theater Company. [Mettawee River Theater Company photo]

North Adams – Area residents have an opportunity this week to enjoy lakeside theater.

The award-winning renowned Mettawee River Theater Company is scheduled to deliver a free performance at 8 p.m. July 29 at Windsor Lake.

Theater company actors will perform an abbreviated version of “The Caucasian Chalk Circle” by German playwright Bertolt Brecht.
The company was founded in 1975 and incorporates masks, giant figures, puppets, and additional visual elements with music, movement, and multi-cultural folklore and legend for performances.

The acting group is dedicated to offering theater performances to rural areas and offers outdoor events in rural upstate New York and New England on a yearly basis. The company also performs in the New York City area.

The lakeside performance will tell the tale of a peasant girl who rescues an infant born into nobility and abandoned during a time of unrest. The peasant girl and the child experience dangerous situations as well as humorous adventures and find themselves emotionally bonded, but a dispute arises when the “noble mother” attempts to take the child back so that she may acquire an inheritance. The wrangle comes before an eccentric judge, who formulates his own test to decide who is the child’s “true mother.”

Actors Bruce Connelly, Kim Gambino,Kevin Lawler, Tom Marion, Joe Osheroff and Clea Rivers will act in several roles, and the performance will feature the masks, puppets, and costumes that punctuate Mettawee performances. The play will feature an original musical score composed by Neil Kirkwood. Company founder and Director Ralph Lee will direct the performance. Casey Compton selected costumes and composer/musician Harry Mann will offer vibraphone, accordion, saxophone, clarinet, and percussion performances.

Imagery is a focus of the Mettawee River Theater Company. [Mettawee Theater Company photo]

Award-winning Mettawee productions include “The Popol Vuh Project,” which was awarded the American Theater Wing Design Award in 1995 and “Wichikapache Goes Walking,” which won the award in 1992.
Lee was awarded a New York State Governor’s Award for artistic contribution in 1996 and in the same year, Lee was presented with a Dance Theater Workshop “Bessie” Award for sustained achievement.

The performance is sponsored by the Advocate in cooperation with the Mayor’s Office of Tourism, according to information provided by the tourism office. For additional information about the Mettawee River Theater Company performance or other city events, contact the Mayor’s Office of Tourism, 6 West Main St., North Adams, at 413-664-6180.

Additional information about the theater company is available at a www.mettawee.org Internet web site.

Susan Bush may be reached via e-mail at suebush123@adelphia.net or at 802-823-8367.