CURRENT    Future and recent work

Current and Highlights 2021/2023!

 

Current & Upcoming Workshops, Events and Theater Residencies:

Two FREE classes through CazArts in Cazenovia - April-May, 2023

"Creativity & Storytelling for Theater-Making "  will be directed by Barbara Gregson with music by Eric Porter (ericporterstudios.com), Wednesdays, April 19 - May 19, 2023. Discover and develop your artistry, creativity & storytelling self. All adults, ages 40 and up are welcome, regardless of experience, to participate in this collaborative, creative theater-making process. During the classes/rehearsals you will learn mime, acting, and mask theater techniques. You will use these techniques and create improvisations along with music accompaniment, culminating in a live performance for family and friends. - READ MORE & REGISTER   -   VIEW FLYER

"INCLUSIVE - Creative & Fun Process of Storytelling! "  will be directed by Barbara Gregson with music by Eric Porter (ericporterstudios.com), Mondays, April 17 - May 20, 2023.. Join us for the upcoming FREE & INCLUSIVE classes where you will explore the creative and fun process of storytelling using mime, masks, improvisation and live music. No experience necessary. This is a free, inclusive class for persons 18 and older of all skill levels. Persons with disabilities requiring caregivers are welcome accompanied by their caregiver. Each class will begin with a physical warm up and playing theater games. You will then learn the basics of acting, mime and character development including use of theater character masks. We will collaborate to create an improvisation from a story and will have a final live performance for family and friends. - READ MORE & REGISTER   -   VIEW FLYER

These two projects are made possible with funds from the Statewide Community Regrants Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and administered by CNY Arts.

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Planning and Grant Writing - fall and winter months of 2022 through early 2023

During the fall and winter months of 2022/2023 we will be booking shows and workshops and writing grants, so call or email us for more information about our workshops and 10-13 day theater residencies. Our calendar will be filling up quickly. Go to our About page for information about our workshops, book signings and all of our theater-making offerings.

In addition, we are writing NYSCA (New York State Council on the Arts) SCR grants (Statewide Community Regrants), coordinated by the Earlville Opera House, to write and produce some amazing new productions including: 

• Mt View Players/Mt View Wellness Center , a new show, ”Tales of Love and Transformation” in Otsego County.
• We are going back to school! We are planning programs for school districts in our local counties

NOTE: To all of our future and new residency and workshop participants - since May 2021 and until further notice, we require that all adults and students ages 12 and up who wish to work with Gregson Theater on any projects, workshops and shows, must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by the first day of rehearsal or workshop.

 

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Highlights of Recent Events, Workshops and Residencies:

Theater Arts Residency - September - October, 2022
"Minstrels, Trappers, Peddlers and Pirates Along the Chenango Canal"  was directed by Barbara Gregson, with original music composed by Eric Porter (ericporterstudios.com). A performance was held October 8th at the Chenango County Historical Society pavillion, 45 Rexford St, Norwich during their "Path Through History Weekend." Two additional performances were held October 14th at 6:30PM and October 15th at 1:00PM in the Martin Kappel Theater of the Chenango ARTS Council, 27 W Main St, Norwich. This project was partially funded by the NY State Regrants program - READ MORE.

VIEW POSTER

Theater Arts Workshops for KIDS! - August, 2022
This workshop for kids was called Summer Cool: Student Theatre & Arts!  Students learned visual and theatre arts with two instructors, Barbara Gregson and Brandon Law, creating portraits of themselves and one anotherand practicing the Renaissance tradition of maskmaking. Participants then practiced the arts of improvisation, mime and storytelling, putting their new skills to work for a real performance on the Martin W. Kappel Stage!

VIEW INFORMATION SHEET      VIEW EVENING SUN ARTICLE

Theater Arts Residency - July, 2022
The Mt View Players returned for their annual show; their 9th show to date. "At Last I Found . . ." was performed at the Community Arts Network of Oneonta (CANO), 111 Ford Ave, Oneonta, NY. This was a collaborative, original production which looks at the unexpected paths we take in life, and is based on the haiku poem  from "Ariwara no Narihira" (or "I Have Always Known").  "At Last I Found . . ." was performed by the actors and artists, of the Mt View Players, in mime, poetry, mask theater and live music and was directed by Barbara Gregson with original music composed and played by Eric Porter. There were four shows: July 15, Friday (two shows), 5:30PM and again at 6:30PM and July 16, Saturday (two shows), at 10:30AM and again at 11:30AM. 

Theater Arts Residency - Oct - Nov, 2021
"Song of Pandora,"  based on the myth of Pandoras Box. Directed by Barbara Gregson, original music by Eric Porter, with the Mt View Wellness Center and the "Mt View Players." Produced and performed at the First United Presbyterian Church (Red Door Church), Oneonta, NY. This was the 6th production with the Mt View Players. This project was partially funded by the NY State Regrants program - READ MORE.

Theater Arts Residency - Jul - Aug, 2021
"The Players and the Pirates Along the Chenango Canal," based on the 10th century Japanese legend, "The Musician and The Pirates." Our version took place in 1870 when a band of players from NYC is attacked on their packet boat along the Chenango Canal by a band of Pirates. It was Performed on Aug 27 and 28, 2021 at The Chenango Arts Council, Norwich NY. The cast consisted of community members from Norwich and Oneonta, NY along with Barbara Gegson and musicians, Eric Porter and Carl Pickett. It was a huge success! This project was partially funded by the NY State Regrants program - READ MORE.

Theater Arts Residency - May - Aug, 2021
Barbara Gregson and musician Eric Porter returned to work with The Mountain View Players at the Mt View Wellness Center, Oneonta, NY for the 5th year. Their new piece, "Waiting For" was written and performed by Barbara Gregson, Eric Porter, Oneonta community members and The Mt. View Players. The shows were performed on Aug 6, and Aug 7, 2021 at the First United Presbyterian Church (The Red Door Church). The audience moved from room to room, throughout the building, while the cast performed a series of comedic vignettes. This project was partially funded by the NY State Regrants program - READ MORE.

 

Staying Creative During Coronavirus - March 2020 - December 2021
During the first year of the COVID 19 pandemic, we canceled many planned live, theater residencies, classes and productions and put our creative energies into writing and producing the "Artists Lost and Found" podcast. This is a podcast all about our favorite topic, the arts, art making and super-brave artists who create against all odds. “Artists Lost and Found.” The first episode launched in July 2020 and the last in January 2021. Listen or search on Spotify, Itunes, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

PUBLISHED BOOK -“Theater Artists Play! - a THEATER ARTIST'S GUIDE to making and creating your OWN theater work”. The book is available through Amazon and on this site. Learn more.

 

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REGRANTS PROGRAM - Several of the above residencies and productions were made possible with public funds from the Statewide Community Regrants Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the governor and legislature of New York State, and administered by the Earlville Opera House.

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