Friday, September 30, 2011

Reviews of E-mail: 9/12 by ...AND Company Theatre

"The six-player cast... impressed with their nuanced performances."
- Alyce Wilson, Arts & Entertainment Featured Contributor on Yahoo!

"The energetic and professional performances by the actors left me looking forward to the next production from ...AND Company Theatre."
- Tracy Hibner, Freelance Theater Critic

Both shows of E-mail: 9/12 performed by ...AND Company Theatre on September 24, 2011 received good reviews.

Alyce Wilson's full review of the evening performance is available on the Yahoo! Contributor Network.

Tracy Hibner's review of the matinee is included on our blog.

E-mail: 9/12 review by Alyce Wilson

Writer Alyce Wilson was in the audience of ...AND Company Theatre's 7pm evening show of E-mail: 9/12. She posted her review on the Yahoo! Contributor Network where she is a Featured Contributor for Arts & Entertainment.

Alyce Wilson's review can be read online by clicking here.

Wilson is the author of the books The Art of Life and Picturebook of the Martyrs. Both are available on Amazon in either paperback or Kindle format.

Wilson also is the editor of the online literary magazine Wild Violet. The 10th Anniversary Reading for Wild Violet is coming up on this Saturday, October 1st at 8pm at Milkboy Coffee at 2 Lancaster Ave in Ardmore, PA. $5 cover charge.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

...AND Company Theatre's debut off to a good start

Review by Tracy Hibner
...AND Company Theatre’s production of E-mail: 9/12 by Midge Guerrera is an engaging set of personal stories about the September 11th tragedy. The play opens with Margaret (Colleen O’Brien) on a train to work just outside of NYC. After the towers are struck, she is sent home amid panic and confusion. Once there, she sits alone waiting for word from her husband, who works at a nuclear facility that has been locked down and isolated. She soon turns to email and Grey Goose for comfort. The other five actors in the ensemble do a marvelous job of acting out the emails, which tell the 9/11 stories of Margaret’s friends and family, mostly New Yorkers, but there are also some thought provoking experiences from other parts of the country and the world.

The five ensemble actors do an excellent job of jumping from character to character, making even the background characters distinct. Thanks to both the writing and the performances, the characters feel very familiar. Margaret gets a warm laugh of recognition from the audience when she finds herself mistakenly talking back to a video that has been emailed to her. There are somber stories, like the policewoman (Jennie Cupcakes) forced to leave her daughter and head into the horror of ground zero, which are portrayed quietly and respectfully. However, the play also has lighter characters, especially Margaret’s godson Joey (amusingly portrayed by Kyle Paul Dandridge) who has difficulty working his video camera, but pops up frequently throughout the play to cheer up Margaret and the audience.

The only weakness in the script comes at the end when the play shifts from telling the story of Margaret and her friends to a series of emails sent by the doomed workers in the twin towers, trapped above the fires. The playwright is obviously making one last attempt to get her point across (live without regrets). However, the jarring switch from Margaret’s personal story to the broader impact of 9/11 makes the ending seemed forced; and left me wanting a satisfying conclusion to Margaret’s story.

The set was appropriate and simple. Margaret’s computer, desk and pantry were alone in the center of a mostly empty and dark stage, making the audience feel Margaret’s isolation and limited, cyber connection to the rest of the world. However, the screen in the background, which was obviously meant to show the header of the email Margaret was currently reading, was distracting, poorly run and probably unnecessary. The screen was not on at the beginning of the production, it came on suddenly after about three scenes and the crew scrolled back and forth through the headers until the correct one was found. This was distracting at first, but when it kept happening, it became outright annoying. The actors were doing such a fine job of setting up each new email, that the screen seemed pointless, even when it was configured correctly. That was not the only technical glitch of the afternoon; several times sound effects started late (after the characters had already mentioned them) or were missing altogether. Also the odd choice of music played over the introductory 9/11 slide show bordered on the offensive, and did not set the stage for this otherwise honest and thought provoking reflection on the events of September 11th.

Despite the tragic and world changing events that are the background for this story, the show was uplifting and full of interesting characters. The energetic and professional performances by the actors left me looking forward to the next production from ...AND Company Theatre.


Tracy Hibner is an experienced actor both on stage (Signs of Love, Nightmares Xtreme Scream Park, Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire) and on television (This Job's a Trip). She has also worked on the stage crew for the Delaware Ballet Company and the Wilmington Drama League. While studying for her nursing degree, she wrote for the University of Delaware newsletter Stetho-scoop, and is currently working as an RN. Hibner was in the audience for the matinee performance of ...AND Company Theater's production of the play E-mail: 9/12.

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Kyle Paul Dandridge featured in Chestnut Hill Local

The September 22nd issue of the Chestnut Hill Local newspaper includes Laura Hoover's interview with ...AND Company Theatre actor Kyle Paul Dandridge.

Also quoted in the article are ...AND Company Theatre's Artistic Director Andre Brown as well as the playwright of E-mail: 9/12, Midge Guerrera.

Newspaper article and photo of Dandridge (left) by writer Laura Beitman Hoover. The entire article from the paper's Local Life section is available to read online here.

Friday, September 23, 2011

E-mail: 9/12 goes up Saturday!

...AND Company Theatre's production of E-mail: 9/12 goes up this Saturday, September 24th!

Do you have your tickets yet?

Full price tickets at the door are $25 cash.

There is still time to purchase advanced tickets online for $20 each. Online tickets may be purchased with Paypal or a major credit card (a small convenience fee may apply).

Seniors and Students with valid ID may purchase tickets at the door for $10 cash.

All ticket sales at the door are on a cash only basis.

Shows are ONE DAY ONLY on Saturday, September 24th. Matinee at 3pm and Evening show at 7pm. Performances are at the Christ Church Neighborhood House Theatre.

E-mail: 9/12 presented by ...AND Company Theatre. Directed by Andre G. Brown, Produced by Israel Atkins, Jr. Starring Colleen O'Brien, Pauline Anne Schantzer, Jennie Cupcakes, Kai Leah Nikol, Kyle Paul Dandridge, and Walter DeShields. Stage Manager, Ryan Dadalski. Prop Mistress, Shenee Carroll.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Getting to the Neighborhood House Venue

Performances of the play E-mail: 9/12 presented by ...AND Company Theatre are on September 24, 2011 at 3pm and 7pm at Christ Church Neighborhood House Theatre located at 20 N American Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106.

Our venue for E-mail: 9/12 is near the intersection of 2nd and Market Streets in Old City Philadelphia.

If you are arriving by car, there are multiple parking lots nearby. There are some lots off of 2nd Street both immediately north of Market Street near Christ Church as well as south of Market before Walnut. There is also a lot on 3rd Street between Market and Arch, and a lot on Arch Street between 2nd and 3rd Streets. You may also consult the Philadelphia Parking Authority Parking Locator to find other nearby parking lots.

Metered street parking is also available. Please note that the running time for E-mail: 9/12 is nearly two hours and there is no intermission. Please read the signs regarding the maximum time zones to avoid getting a ticket. Payments for street parking in Old City is all by Kiosk, which accepts cash and coins, as well as credit cards and PPA smart cards. Remember to display your Kiosk receipt on your curbside dash.

SEPTA's Market-Frankford Line has a stop on the east side of Market Street at 2nd, which is within easy walking distance of Christ Church Neighborhood House. There are also a number of bus routes which stop on Market street near 2nd, including stops at Front & Market and nearby Independence Mall. Some of those bus routes include the 5, 9, 17, 21 and 42. Consult SEPTA's official website for up-to-date schedules.

If you haven't already bought your tickets in advance, you can purchase them online. Tickets at the door will be sold on a cash only basis for $25 each.

More info: www.andcompanytheatre.org or 609-891-7555.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Student and Senior Discounts

Just announced! Students and Seniors tickets for E-mail: 9/12 are now only $10.

...AND Company Theatre is offering tickets at the very low cost of $10 to students and seniors.

Bring a valid ID with you to the door in order to get the discounted price. Cash only.

Student and Senior discount tickets are subject to availability and are going fast. To reserve yours e-mail Colleen O'Brien before Friday at pr@andcompanytheatre.org with your name, e-mail address, and how many tickets you want us to set aside.

Payment due in cash at the door. Valid ID required for the student and senior price. Any reserved tickets not claimed five minutes prior to curtain time will be made available for sale to the public.

Student and Senior discount tickets cannot be combined with any other offer or applied to previously purchased tickets. ALL SALES FINAL. NO REFUNDS OR EXCHANGES.

E-mail: 9/12 is the stage play about ordinary people connecting through cyberspace in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. When they weren't able to reach one another by phone, they used e-mail to comfort and support each other, to offer a spark of humor and to give one another hope for the days to come.

Performances are scheduled for ONE DAY ONLY, Saturday, September 24th, 2011.
3pm Matinee and 7pm Evening shows.
Venue: Christ Church Neighborhood House Theatre located at
20 N American Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106.

Advanced general admission tickets are still available for purchase online for $20. Online advance tickets may be purchased with credit cards or Paypal. A small service fee may apply.

E-mail: 9/12 presented by ...AND Company Theatre. Directed by Andre G. Brown, Produced by Israel Atkins, Jr. Starring Colleen O'Brien, Pauline Anne Schantzer, Jennie Cupcakes, Kai Leah Nikol, Kyle Paul Dandridge, and Walter DeShields. Stage Manager, Ryan Dadalski. Prop Mistress, Shenee Carroll.

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Tickets still available for E-mail: 9/12

Tickets are still available for ...AND Company Theatre's production of the stage play E-mail: 9/12.

Advanced tickets are highly recommended, and may be purchased online now.

E-mail: 9/12 is based on the real life experiences of the playwright, Midge Guerrera, of how she was able to able to connect with family and friends online via e-mail on the day after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11th.

E-mail: 9/12 presented by ...AND Company Theatre. Directed by Andre G. Brown, Produced by Israel Atkins, Jr. Starring Colleen O'Brien, Pauline Anne Schantzer, Jennie Cupcakes, Kai Leah Nikol, Kyle Paul Dandridge, and Walter DeShields. Stage Manager, Ryan Dadalski. Prop Mistress, Shenee Carroll.

Performances are scheduled for ONE DAY ONLY, Saturday, September 24th, 2011.
3pm Matinee and 7pm Evening shows.
Venue: Christ Church Neighborhood House Theatre located at
20 N American Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106.

Advanced tickets available online now for $20 each.
Tickets at the door will be sold on a cash only basis for $25 each.

Group sales for 10 or more, please call 609-891-7555.
For more info, visit www.andcompanytheatre.org.

Friday, September 16, 2011

Mr. Congeniality, Israel Atkins, Jr.

Co-founder of ...AND Company Theatre, Israel Atkins, Jr., is also the Producer of the company's debut production, E-mail: 9/12.

Israel Atkins, Jr. is the Producer for E-mail: 9/12 presented by ...AND Company Theatre on September 24, 2011 at Christ Church Neighborhood House Theatre at 3pm and 7pm.

"This production has impressed upon me the inspiring belief that there is nothing more powerful than an idea whose time has come," says Atkins of the stage play E-mail: 9/12. The show explores how people were able to come together through e-mails on the day after the tragic and subsequently heroic events of the largest terrorist attacks in modern history.

Atkins joined the team of ...AND Company Theatre after discovering the artistic genius of the Company's creative director, Andre Brown. As Co-founder and Producer, Israel endeavors to create an environment where ideas can be fostered, talents nurtured, and dreams realized.

Israel Atkins, Jr. is also the CEO of Image is Real LLC., a high-end fashion agency in developing neo-classic and custom men's fashion. After 8 years as a Technical Manager and Video Engineer working for two major cable and content providers, he steps into full time Performance and Media Production with ...AND Company Theatre.

Performances of E-mail: 9/12 are scheduled for ONE DAY ONLY, Saturday, September 24th, 2011. 3pm Matinee and 7pm Evening show. Venue: Christ Church Neighborhood House Theatre located at 20 N American Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tickets, $25. Advance tickets available online. Tickets at the door will be sold on a cash only basis. More info: www.andcompanytheatre.org or 609-891-7555.

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Kai Leah Nikol in the Limelight

Kai Leah Nichol returns to the stage she once enjoyed as a young girl as a member of the cast of E-mail: 9/12 presented by ...AND Company Theatre.

Kai Leah Nikol appears in ...AND Company Theatre's production of the stage play E-mail: 9/12 at Christ Church Neighborhood House Theatre on Saturday, September 24, 2011 at 3pm and 7pm.

Nikol is currently a junior at Rider University, and she hadn't been involved in a stage production since she was a freshmen in high school. When she heard about the play E-mail: 9/12 being performed in Philadelphia, PA by ...AND Company Theatre, she thought it was a great opportunity to get herself back into acting.

As a young girl, Nikol knew she wanted to be in show business, so she took acting classes through middle school and was often involved in her school productions. Her role as a member of the ensemble cast in E-mail: 9/12 marks her return to the stage. "I want the audience to enjoy the performance," Nichol explains, "and I hope to get insight and feedback on how I can improve as an actress through this show."

E-mail: 9/12 is the dramatization of how individuals connected through cyberspace in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September 11th. When they weren't able to reach one another by phone, they used e-mail to comfort and communicate with each other.

...AND Company Theatre presents the play E-mail: 9/12 with performances on September 24, 2011 at 3pm and 7pm at Christ Church Neighborhood House Theatre located at 20 N American Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tickets, $25. Discounts available in advance online. Tickets at the door will be sold on a cash only basis. More info: www.andcompanytheatre.org or 609-891-7555.

Announcing Walter DeShields

Penn State alum Walter DeShields joins the ...AND Company Theatre cast of E-mail: 9/12

Walter DeShields is an experienced actor both on stage and on screen. On September 24, 2011, he'll be performing in ...AND Company Theatre's production of E-mail: 9/12 at 3pm and 7pm at Christ Church Neighborhood House Theatre in Philadelphia.

The play E-mail: 9/12 tells the story of how people were able to connect with one another via e-mail on the day after the September 11th attacks. On a day when phone communications weren't always working, friends and family used e-mail to keep in touch, to encourage one another, to grieve with each other, and to support those they love.

"I think this show gives a glimpse of humanity at one of its darkest moments, yet those affected shine the brightest," says DeShields.

About his part in the stage play E-mail: 9/12 presented by ...AND Company Theatre, DeShields explains, "I feel honored to tell this story. It so much more than a role, I truly feel these individuals' experience."

DeShields is a graduate of Penn State with a BA in Theatre and English. Among his film roles are parts in the movies Can't Judge a Book, Coochie Wars and The Playstation Killed the Puppet.

DeShields also regularly appears on stage in the greater Philadelphia and New York City areas. He appeared in the role of RICH in the stage play VI degrees. Most recently he portrayed WALTER LEE in the play Raisin in the Sun.

Performances of E-mail: 9/12 are scheduled for ONE DAY ONLY, Saturday, September 24th, 2011. 3pm Matinee and 7pm Evening show. Venue: Christ Church Neighborhood House Theatre located at 20 N American Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tickets, $25. Discounts available in advance online. Tickets at the door will be sold on a cash only basis. More info: www.andcompanytheatre.org or 609-891-7555.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

On Stage with Kyle Paul Dandridge

E-mail: 9/12 cast member Kyle Paul Dandridge is no stranger to the Philadelphia area stage.

Kyle Paul Dandridge is part of the ensemble cast of ...AND Company Theatre's production of the stage play E-mail: 9/12. Performances are scheduled for Saturday, September 24, 2011 at 3pm and 7pm.

Dandridge has acted in many stage productions in the Philadelphia area, including plays written by Shakespeare as well as by modern playwrights. He's performed at The Stagecrafters, Old Academy Players, Allens Lane and The Drama Group. Kyle Paul Dandridge is pictured in this post in the role of Joaquim from the Stagecrafters production of "Mud, River, Stone" in April 2011.

"My first play was when I was age seven," says Dandridge. "I played a Pilgrim who died on the Mayflower. But, it wasn't until I was 14 that I knew I really wanted to be an actor."

In E-mail: 9/12 Dandridge takes on a number of different the roles as part of the ensemble, so he wears many hats on stage - literally. Among the characters he portrays in the play are a firehouse cook, a train conductor, and even a slightly mischievous 9-year-old boy.

The play illustrates how people connected through e-mails on the day after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in 2001. Through the use of the ensemble, the ...AND Company Theatre cast are able to re-enact the characters' stories of survival, grief and hope.

When asked what he would like the audience to take away from the performance, Dandridge answers, "I would like to audience to walk away feeling they got a different perspective on September 11, and realize that we are at the tip of exploring that day through art and artistic expression."

Performances of the play E-mail: 9/12 presented by ...AND Company Theatre are on September 24, 2011 at 3pm and 7pm at Christ Church Neighborhood House Theatre located at 20 N American Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tickets, $25. Discounts available in advance online. Tickets at the door will be sold on a cash only basis. More info: www.andcompanytheatre.org or 609-891-7555.

Monday, September 12, 2011

Get to Know Andre Brown

E-mail: 9/12's director Andre Brown is also the founder of ...AND Company Theatre.

Andre Brown directs the stage play E-mail: 9/12, being performed on September 24th, 2011 at 3pm and 7pm at Christ Church Neighborhood House Theatre in Philadelphia, PA.

“Once I read the script, it haunted me,” states Brown, “but I felt it needed to be expressed on stage. These are stories that need to be told.” Brown adds, “The events are still surreal after all these years, but we’re all still feeling the effects of what occurred on September 11, 2001.”

E-mail: 9/12 was written by Brown's mentor Midge Guerrera and is based on her own experiences connecting via e-mail on the day after the terrorist attacks in NYC and the nation.

Having been involved in the theatre since he was 11 years old, 2011 marks Brown's 20th year in the business. He studied Musical Theatre at both the NY and LA campuses of the American Musical Dramatic Academy, and joined Actors Equity in 2004.

The production of E-mail: 9/12 marks the debut performance for ...AND Company Theatre, a semi-professional theatre company Brown founded in late 2010. The productions by ...AND Company Theater “offer an opportunity for audiences to experience new theatre and new stories,” states Brown. The innovative format, employing multi-media techniques on stage also explores the fusion of the world of television and the world of theatre.

In addition to E-mail: 9/12, ...AND Company Theatre's season includes Son of a Preacher Man by Kellie Turner & Dominique Denman on Nov 25th & 26th, 2011; Black! by Andre Brown on Feb 24th & 25th, 2012; and a New Playwright's Festival from June 5 - 9th 2012.

Performances of E-mail: 9/12 are scheduled for ONE DAY ONLY, Saturday, September 24th, 2011. 3pm Matinee and 7pm Evening show. Venue: Christ Church Neighborhood House Theatre located at 20 N American Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tickets, $25. Discounts available in advance online. Tickets at the door will be sold on a cash only basis. More info: www.andcompanytheatre.org or 609-891-7555.

Meet Colleen O'Brien

E-mail: 9/12 cast member Colleen O'Brien also handles PR for ...AND Company Theatre

Colleen O'Brien plays the role of MARGARET in ...AND Company Theatre's production of the play E-mail: 9/12. Her character starts the play by sending an e-mail to all of her family and friends at three o'clock on the morning on September 12, 2001.

The role is based on the real-life experience of the playwright, Midge Guerrera, and the premise of the play is based on the e-mail responses she received that day.

"It shows how one person touches so many lives," says O'Brien. "As a result of show, I hope the audience realizes the positive impact they have on others, and others have on them. And I hope they continue to do so all the time, when times are good, not just when tragedy strikes."

O'Brien has been a professional actress since 2002. While her primary focus is acting on-camera, she often performs live as an 18th Century historical interpreter or a standardized patient. Last December, she appeared as Mrs. Claus at the Park City Center in Lancaster, PA.

Acting is actually O'Brien's second career. She had previously worked in the IT industry, having earned her Master's Degree in Computer Science from Villanova University. She recently contributed an article to Yahoo! News about how the events of 9/11 changed her and resulted in her changing careers.

Heading up the Public Relations effort for ...AND Company Theatre means that many of the e-mails O'Brien sends out contain press releases. Mail to pr@andcompanytheatre.org goes to her. She also edits and writes the content for the official blog. "That's right," she confirms, "I wrote this blog post about myself in the third person."

Performances of the play E-mail: 9/12 presented by ...AND Company Theatre are on September 24, 2011 at 3pm and 7pm at Christ Church Neighborhood House Theatre located at 20 N American Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tickets, $25. Discounts available in advance online. Tickets at the door will be sold on a cash only basis. More info: www.andcompanytheatre.org or 609-891-7555.

Advanced Ticket Discounts for E-mail: 9/12 - Limited Time Only!

Discount tickets to E-mail: 9/12 presented by ...AND Company Theatre are available online now. The discount is valid for a limited time only.

Currently tickets bought in advance are $20 each. Tickets may be purchased online from Brown Paper Tickets (small convenience fee may apply).

Any remaining tickets will be sold at the door on the day of the show on a cash only basis for $25 each.

...AND Company Theatre performs E-mail: 9/12 on Saturday, September 24th, 2011, at 3pm and 7pm in the Christ Church Neighborhood House Theatre located at 20 N American Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106.

More info: www.andcompanytheatre.org or 609-891-7555.

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Introducing Jennie Cupcakes

...AND Company Theatre's cast of E-mail: 9/12 includes cake designer, pin-up model, and actress Jennie Cupcakes.

Yes, there really is a woman named Jennie Cupcakes. And she really bakes cupcakes. She works as a cake designer at the Gallo's Bakery in Mount Laurel, NJ. She's also a member of the ensemble cast of the play E-mail: 9/12 presented by ...AND Company Theatre.

Cupcakes has only been acting for about six months prior to her audition for the play. She admits, "I surprised myself when I actually got the role!"

She always wanted to be an actress, but when she was younger her mother had encouraged her instead to go after a "real career." Cupcakes gave up her acting dreams in favor of cake design, but recently felt compelled to give acting a try again.

"When I stepped out during the first rehearsal, something in me clicked," Cupcakes explains. "This is where I belong: on stage."

"I am so lucky to be making my debut acting performance in such a powerful play," she continues. "My monologues are truly heartbreaking and I feel so blessed to be able to tell the stories of the 9/11 survivors. I hope the audience can feel the raw and true emotion that I will be trying to bring to the stage with the characters that I get to play."

Although baking and acting keep Jennie Cupcakes fairly busy, she's also a print model. Thanks to a haircut which featured Betty Page looking bangs, Cupcakes has been able to pose for pin-up style photos. Her work is included on her website at www.jenniecupcakes.com.

Performances of E-mail: 9/12 are scheduled for ONE DAY ONLY, Saturday, September 24th, 2011. 3pm Matinee and 7pm Evening show. Venue: Christ Church Neighborhood House Theatre located at 20 N American Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tickets, $25. Discounts available in advance online. Tickets at the door will be sold on a cash only basis. More info: www.andcompanytheatre.org or 609-891-7555.

All About Pauline Anne

Pauline Anne Schantzer joins the cast of E-mail: 9/12 presented by ...AND Company Theatre.

Pauline Anne Schantzer is a junior transfer student pursing a communications major and theater minor at Temple University. She says she auditioned for the play E-mail: 9/12 because of the director, Andre Brown. "His passion and persistence for the script inspired me," Schantzer explains. "I hope that the audience will feel as if they are physically there on the streets of NYC and connected to the characters that we are bringing to life."

E-mail: 9/12 recounts how people were able to connect via e-mail the day after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. At a time before Twitter and Facebook, on a day when when cell phone calls couldn't always get through, e-mail became a lifeline for people to connect, to laugh, to grieve, and to support one another. Penned by New Jersey Playwright Midge Guerrera, E-mail: 9/12 is based on her own experiences, of keeping in touch with family and friends online.

...AND Company Theatre is presenting the play as an ensemble piece. Schantzer gets to show off her acting range as she takes on characters as diverse as a shocked French-Canadian Institutional Trader, a sexy bride-to-be in her early fifties, and a terrified four-year-old girl.

Schantzer has been acting for four years, but says she always knew she was going to be a performer. "The moment I began to pursue acting was when I was 18, my mom told me that the only place I belonged was on a stage."

Performances are scheduled for one day only, Saturday, September 24th, 2011. 3pm Matinee and 7pm Evening show. Venue: Christ Church Neighborhood House Theatre located at 20 N American Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tickets, $25. Discounts available in advance online. Tickets at the door will be sold on a cash only basis. More info: www.andcompanytheatre.org or 609-891-7555.

...AND Company Theatre's E-mail: 9/12 featured on YAHOO! Contributor Network

Check out the article about ...AND Company Theatre's upcoming production of the stage play E-mail: 9/12.

The article is written by Alyce Wilson. She is a Featured Contributor for Arts & Entertainment on the Yahoo! Contributor Network (formerly Associated Content). She is the editor of the online literary magazine Wild Violet, and the author of the books The Art of Life and Picturebook of the Martyrs.

Performances of E-mail: 9/12 by ...AND Company Theatre are scheduled for ONE DAY ONLY, Saturday, September 24th, 2011. 3pm Matinee and 7pm Evening show. Venue: Christ Church Neighborhood House Theatre located at 20 N American Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tickets, $25. Discounts available in advance online. Tickets at the door will be sold on a cash only basis. More info: www.andcompanytheatre.org or 609-891-7555.

...AND Company Theatre presents E-mail: 9/12

Stage Play E-mail: 9/12 marks debut performance for …AND Company Theatre

PHILADELPHIA, PA …AND Company Theatre performs the stage play E-mail: 9/12 at the Christ Church Neighborhood House at 3pm and 7pm on Saturday, September 24th, 2011.

The show explores how ordinary people connected through cyberspace immediately after the terrorist attacks on the twin towers. As phone communications were affected, they stayed in touch through e-mails, offering news of how they are doing, how they survived, stories of heroism, shock, and updates on those who didn't make it.

The production by …AND Company Theatre is being presented as an ensemble piece. The players take on different characters’ speaking roles, re-telling their e-mail stories, as the rest of the cast interacts and reacts to them, helping to bring the scenes to life.

E-mail: 9/12, written by New Jersey playwright Midge Guerrera, was first produced for one woman in 2004, and has undergone additional development since then. To mark the 10th anniversary of the events, the newly formed …AND Company Theatre is launching the production as an ensemble piece with six actors in Philadelphia.

To personalize the play E-mail: 9/12 for the Philadelphia audience, …AND Company Theatre invites people to include their own "e-mail monologues". The play was written to be able to include them throughout the performance. Ideally they will be in the range of 300 - 500 words. Anyone interested in submitting should follow-up with pr@andcompanytheatre.org.

E-mail: 9/12 presented by …AND Company Theatre. Directed by Andre G. Brown, Produced by Israel Atkins, Jr. Starring Colleen O'Brien, Pauline Anne Schantzer, Jennie Cupcakes, Kai Leah Nikol, Kyle Paul Dandridge, and Walter DeShields. Stage Manager, Ryan Dadalski. Prop Mistress, Shenee Carroll.

Performances are scheduled for one day only, Saturday, September 24th, 2011. 3pm Matinee and 7pm Evening show. Venue: Christ Church Neighborhood House Theatre located at 20 N American Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tickets, $25. Discounts available in advance online. Tickets at the door will be sold on a cash only basis. More info: www.andcompanytheatre.org or 609-891-7555.

...AND Company Theatre's 2011-2012 Season

...AND Company Theatre
Ensemble Theatre at its Best

E-MAIL: 9/12
by Midge Guerrera, Directed by Andre Brown
September 24, 2011 3pm Matinee, and 7pm Evening
9/11/2011 marks the 10th Anniversary of the terrorist attacks on NYC and around the nation. Join us as we remember and celebrate heroes, loved ones, and our fallen. Embrace the compassion and resilience of the human spirit through cyberspace.

SON OF A PREACHER MAN
by Vascola Stoney with Kellie Turner & Dominique Denman
November 25, 2011 7:30pm
November 26, 2011 3pm & 7:30pm
November 27, 2001 4pm
December 2, 2001 7:30pm
December 3, 3pm & 7:30pm
December 4, 2001 4pm

Son Of A Preacher Man tells the story of the sometimes actual, sometimes elaborated life and mind of a Preacher's son with a loaded past and destructive future. The crossroad of sacred and secular hang in the balance of a love story between father and son.

To Be Young Gifted and Black: Lorraine Hansberry In Her Own Words
Adapted by Robert Nemiroff
Directed by Andre Brown
February 23, 2012 8pm
February 24, 2012 8pm
February 25, 2012 3pm & 8pm

February 26, 2012 3pm
Best known as the author of the book A Raisin in the Sun, Lorraine Hansberry's ex-husband adapted many of her writings into this play after her death.  Get to know the amazing woman and author through her works in this captivating play. 

NEW PLAYWRIGHTS FESTIVAL
June 5 - 9, 2012
7:30pm Each Night

...AND Company Theatre presents a festival of New Plays by up and coming playwrights. Each night will feature one new play representing the gamut of genres from drama to comedy, experimental to downright funky. Come and experience a fresh, new level of premiere theatre and artistic awareness!

To purchase tickets, visit www.andcompanytheatre.org or call 609-891-7555

About ...AND Company Theatre

…AND Company Theatre was founded by Equity Actor Andre G. Brown in late 2010 in Philadelphia.  It was founded on the premise of the ensemble doing the work. 

So often, stage shows are marketed as performed by a big name talent, “and company.”  Yet, that troupe of actors do much of the work.   …AND Company Theatre seeks to showcase the work of those actors, and that’s one of the reasons behind the name “…AND Company Theatre.”

The name “…AND Company Theatre” also starts with the same three letters as the first name of the Founder and Artistic Director, Andre Brown.  When he realized that the initials for “…AND Company Theatre” also spell the word “ACT,”  Brown explains, “That was a happy accident.”

…AND Company Theatre offers audiences the opportunity to experience new theatre and new stores.  The shows highlight the work of new playwrights, and present them with an innovative format, employing multi-media techniques on stage exploring the fusion of the world of television and the world of theatre.

“We all have stories that need to be told,” says Brown.  “…AND Company Theatre expresses these stores on stage, as ‘Ensemble Theatre at its Best.’”

…AND Company Theatre is based in Philadelphia, PA.  For more information on their current season, auditions, and tickets, visit their website at www.andcompanytheatre.org, or check out the latest posts on this, the official blog for …AND Company Theatre.