Thanksgiving isn’t the only opportunity to gorge on good stuff this month.
Theatre buffs have a smorgasbord of offerings to choose from in New Bedford during November. Beginning with the latest from Your Theatre, Inc., a special offering by The Glass Horse Project and the third birthday party for the Collective NB at Gallery X.
And on Sat. November 17, Culture*Park presents its 16th annual Short Plays Marathon in the Whaling Museum Theater – a buffet all its own! (Pictured above – From Culture*Park 2017: OUTLAW by Rob Levinson: actor Thomas McCormick.)
Here’s the rundown:
PARFUMARIE
Thursday, November 8 – YOUR THEATRE premieres the aromatic comedy of manners, PARFUMARIE at 136 Rivet Street. Any description that begins, “Just days before Christmas, George’s boss fires him after mistakenly suspecting him to be the lover of his unfaithful wife…”is either funny or tragic. Parfumarie smells like fun! All seats are reserved. Call 508-993-0772 to make a reservation and visit yourtheatre.org for seating information. Through Sunday, Nov. 18.
THE COLLECTIVE NB
Saturday, November 10 – The Collective NB has brought a sense of inhibited fun to New Bedford’s theatre scene – and you can probably expect the same at their third birthday party tonight at Gallery X (169 William Street). For the occasion, they plan live music, food – and new work, of course. “Five playwrights are currently writing new plays. The actors will get their scripts in a week and the show will go up five days later,” they write. Oh – how they like to live on the edge of the proscenium. Doors at 6:30; show at 7:00; tickets are $20.
SHEL’S SHORTS
Saturday, Nov. 10 – The press release says, “Where the Sidewalk Ends, The Giving Tree, and A Light in the Attic are all titles that popular culture attributes to Shel Silverstein, the author. But what do we associate with Shel Silverstein, the playwright? You read that right. Playwright. As in, a writer of dramatic works. Take it in: Shel SIlverstein wrote plays.
“Short plays, to be exact, ranging from three to ten pages. Shel’s Shorts provides the theatre goer with a look into Shel Silverstein, the playwright. It’s a night of short scenes by the famed author as interpreted by New Bedford’s fringe theatre company, The Glass Horse Project.” And it happens tonight at the Co-Creative Center, 139 Union Street, at 7:30 p.m.
Press material goes on, “The new production model that Glass Horse is attempting is just one of the ways that it carries out its mission of bringing experimental productions to the South Coast with a focus on effective storytelling and the theatre artist’s tool kit. We don’t have much of any tech. We put the focus on storytelling and using unconventional spaces to bring out elements that are inherently theatrical in any setting and couple that with the artist’s tool kit to hopefully create a memorable night for people.”
There is no set admission fee, but a pay what you can model is in effect should patrons choose to support future projects of The Glass Horse Project.
The CULTURE*PARK 16th ANNUAL SHORT PLAY MARATHON
Saturday, November 17 – Culture*Park will present the 16th Annual Short Plays Marathon today from 2:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. in the Whaling Museum Theater on Johnny Cake Hill – a full day of new plays with far-reaching themes by local and regional playwrights.
The Marathon will present staged readings of twenty-five plays, presented by an ensemble of more than 50 actors and directors. The Marathon is presented under the co-directorship of Rebecca Schade and Patricia Thomas, in collaboration with the reading committee of theatre artists and writers, and the dozens of playwrights, directors, and actors involved.
Themes range from the serious to the slapstick, comedic and fantastical, offering a provocative theatre experience, with something for everyone.
Tickets are $20 for the full event, and $15, for afternoon or evening only. You can come and go as you like during the day – or remain snug in the cozy Whaling Museum theater. It’s your call.
Senior and Student tickets are $15 for the full event, $10 for afternoon or evening only. Tickets may be purchased at the door at any time during the event. For information and to make reservations call Culture*Park at 774-202-0588 or email culturepark.ed@earthlink.net. Tickets may be picked up and paid for at the door. Group rates are available.
The full schedule of play, with times, will be posted online at culturepark.org.
The Culture*Park Short Plays Marathon began in 2001 when a group of local writers met with Culture*Park theatre artists to discuss finding a way to present new short plays. The first Marathon took place at the Unitarian Church on Eighth Street in New Bedford. It has been a signature theatre event for new plays ever since.