If you have not heard, the Fulton Theatre now has the Ellen Arnold Groff Series, which takes place in the 4th Floor Studio Theatre. The Ellen Arnold Groff series premiered in January 2014, and over the course of the last year, I have seen some amazing plays in this intimate space. Let me begin by saying that the Ellen Arnold Groff series is something that I am very excited about and I am very grateful that the Fulton is producing these shows. This series ranges from staged readings of new and modified works to more evocative fully staged productions than audiences may find on the main stage. With the Ellen Arnold Groff Series, the Fulton Theatre is celebrating creativity, and this series is for those who want to see new, reimagined and thought-provoking shows.
Last week, I attended a reading of Ghost: The Musical. The musical version of Ghost is based on the 1990 film of the same name. This was a staged reading of a show that has already been on Broadway and closed, but Marc Robin, the Artistic Director or the Fulton, was given the opportunity to assist in revising the script for the show. Robin explained in his opening remarks that he paired down the show from a 30+ person cast to a cast of 9 people. The audience that attended Ghost saw a show where the script was revised to its core fundamentals in order to captured the heart of the story and remind audience members why they loved the storyline of this classic 90s movie. The cast included Will Ray as Sam, Daniella Dalli as Maggie, Steve Czarnecki as Carl and E. Faye Butler as Oda Mae Brown. The additional cast included Kevin Faraci, Liz Shivener, Michael Fisher, Manna Nichols and Jayne Trinette . Each of these fine actors are not only incredibly talented, but each infused this show with energy and vibrancy that captured the spirit of the show. The audiences that attended Ghost on January 8 and 9, 2015 were the first audiences to see this new version of Ghost, and there was a talkback after the show hosted by the Fulton’s Managing Director, Aaron Young.
For those of you that like shows that are edgier and theatre that encourages a dialogue or simply if you like to support new works then the Ellen Arnold Groff Series is a series that you should definitely plan to attend. The next show in this series is Venus in Fur. This show is the first fully staged production in the Ellen Arnold Groff Series, and runs from February 17 – March 8, 2015. For more information about this show or any other of the Fulton’s shows please visit their website at www.thefulton.org or call their box office at 717-397-7425.
Also appeared on Fig Lancaster's site
Photos courtesy of Fulton Theatre
Kelli Curtin is editor and writer for theatresensation.com. In addition, she is a contributor for the online site broadwayworld.com and is a freelance writer. Kelli is excited to share her passion about theatre and the Arts with her readers. Kelli can be found on twitter @theatrescribe and on Facebook/theatresensation.
