“The Best of Broadway,” Fri.-Sat., June 18-19, 25- 26, 8 p.m., The Grove Theater (corner of Nuangola Road and Lake Avenue, Nuangola). Tickets: $20. Info: www.nuangola-grove.com, 570.868.8212.
Masque Productions at the Grove Theatre in Nuangola is getting ready for its fourth season of summer shows. From June to October, the Grove will host four shows, beginning with the popular musical revue “The Best of Broadway” on Friday, June 18. “The Odd Couple,” “On Golden Pond” and “SHOUT!” will follow in subsequent months.
Director and co-operator Greg Korin is excited about the upcoming summer theater season and the new opportunities it will bring.
“The first year we were an untested entity, and people did not know what to expect,” Korin explains. “But people know that when they go to see a show at The Grove it’s going to be good, solid family fun and entertainment.”
The story of The Grove Theater begins in the 1930s, at a time when summer-stock theater was still inventing itself. For 20 years, The Grove was a hotspot for up-and-coming theatrical talent throughout the Northeast. Legendary actor Kirk Douglas, for example, landed his first-ever leading role in 1941 while participating in a production at The Grove that summer before moving onto New York City later that year. However, over time the theater fell into disrepair, and its days of courting future Hollywood elite seemed over.
For decades, The Grove Theater had no clearly defined role, even acting as a church for a time. Owned by the Diocese of Scranton, St. Ann’s church served as a place of worship for nearby Catholics. However, due to a shortage of priests, the diocese decided to close the church’s doors. Then, three years ago, Mimi Addoms of the Nuangola Grove Association, which now assists in operating the venue as a community center, approached Walter Mitchell about reviving summer stock at The Grove. Mitchell then contacted Korin, who was eager to bring his theater expertise to the group.
Since then, The Grove as been host to productions such as “Plaza Suite” and “Godspell.”
“As the years go by, the facility itself is going back to being a real theater again,” Korin says. “We’ve managed to take some of the money that has come in and put it back into the building.”
Some noteworthy people from the regional theater scene have noticed the quality productions taking place at there, confirming Korin’s belief that there is a demand for summer theater productions here. Among other successes, Korin and his colleagues were named runner-up for best overall production at the recent Eastern States Theatre Festival in Newark, Del., for their production “Same Time Next Year.”
Apart from its history, The Grove has another advantage — its size. While it is smaller than most venues, at 3,000 square feet, The Grove offers theatergoers a more intimate experience. Although Korin says that the theater cannot accommodate large productions, he’s confident in the shows that already take place there.
“We do small musicals and have had really good luck (with them),” he says. “Those are just right for our venue, and we get a pretty good crowd.”
For its performances, Masque Productions hires professional actors. Many performers, such as Marcelle McGuirk, Deirdre Lynch, Cathy Alaimo and Jimmy Williams, have all appeared in previous musical productions at The Grove. This cast of performers will be joined on alternating weekends by a group of other actors and actresses. Korin thinks that their participation in his productions adds to the value of an audience’s experience at the theater.
“Every actor that is on stage at The Grove has got a multi-page resume, and they have been working for years,” Korin says. “So you know you are going to see seasoned performers on stage and good quality theater that people are going to walk away talking about.”
As a community landmark, The Grove Theater is an important part of the borough of Nuangola’s collective identity. With the opening of the fourth summer theater season this week, many people will have the opportunity to take part in a common experience that has been shared by theatergoers past and present. As Korin and his colleagues are dedicated to keeping the heritage of the historic theater alive, and as The Grove continues to keep its doors open for yet another season, it is a subtle reminder of the hard work it takes to keep this historical entity going.
“We put together shows that people like to go see,” Korin says. “It is good, professional theater. We try to pick shows where people will have fun doing them, and when the actors are having a good time it comes across to the audience.”
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