Theatrical Gems

05/02/2021

The Northeastern Pennsylvania Theatrical Alliance held the 2021 NEPTA AWARDS virtually tonight, honoring the hard work our local theatres did in 2020, both onstage and online!

Theatrical Gems is thrilled to have picked up 5 awards:

Best Original Production (Writing) - Michael Hagins- As You Wish It, or the Bride Princess

Best Actress in a Zoom Production - Kristen Long- Facing It

Best Actor in a Zoom Production - Scott Colin- As You Wish It, or the Bride Princess

Best Director of a Zoom Production - Michael Hagins- As You Wish It, or the Bride Princess

Best Zoom Production - As You Wish It, or the Bride Princess

We are also thrilled that so many of the artists who work with us were honored for their work with other companies.

We would especially like to congratulate our friends who won for work with the Worthington Players at The Shawnee Playhouse™ who worked through Covid restrictions and weather to put on shows outside this past summer!
Ryan Cook - Best Actor in a Musical,
Sarah McCarroll - Best Actress in a Musical,
Kristen Long - Best Supporting Actor in a Musical
Ethan Flanagan - Best Teen Actor
Ryan Cook & Sarah McCarroll - Best Director of a Musical

04/01/2021

2020 was a difficult year for theatre companies across the world, with many, like Theatrical Gems, unable to produce any shows on our stage. We were, however, able to produce a virtual summer series.

This year, in recognition of the hard work put toward non-traditional theatrical work, the Northeastern Pennsylvania Theatrical Alliance Awards added categories for virtual productions, and our summer series picked up a bunch of nominations.

We will be posting information on the award ceremony (which will be held online May 1st where all can watch it) shortly, but here are all of the Gems nominees!

Best Original One Act (Writing)
Down to the Wire by Aaron Pappalardo

Best Original Full Length Production (Writing)
Facing It by Jonathan G Galvez
As You Wish It, or the Bride Princess by Michael Hagins

Best Actor in a Zoom Production
Sam Falbo as Washington in Facing It
Tamir Cousins-Ali as Westley in As You Wish It, or the Bride Princess
Scott Colin as Prince Humperdinck in As You Wish It, or the Bride Princess
Mike Wawrzynek as Inigo Montoya in As You Wish It, or the Bride Princess

Best Actress in a Zoom Production
Florence Taylor as Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Being Earnest
Kristen Long as Colleen in Facing It
Kerri-Leigh Taylor as The Senator in Facing It
Melissa Meli as Buttercup in As You Wish It, or the Bride Princess
Amy Cramer as Yellin in As You Wish It, or the Bride Princess
Kat Moreno as Old Woman/Valerie/Clergyman in As You Wish It, or the Bride Princess

Best Director of a Zoom Production
Sarah McCarroll, The Importance of Being Earnest
Kristen Keim, Facing It
Michael Hagins, As You Wish It, or the Bride Princess

Best Zoom Production
The Importance of Being Earnest
Facing It
As You Wish It, or the Bride Princess

03/20/2021

The Theatrical Gems family wishes a happy wedding day to one of our favorites, Hunter Chadeayne, and his husband Paul.

Hunter has worked with us as both a performer (She Loves Me, Into the Woods) and Music Director (Sweeney Todd) and is one of the artists whose opinions we value when planning what is coming up.

We hope today is incredible, and we can’t wait to celebrate with you when it is safe!

01/11/2021

Theatrical Gems is proud to be a member of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Theatrical Alliance (NEPTA), and one of the reasons is the annual NEPTA scholarship.

NEPTA's William A. Zdancewicz Scholarship for the Performing Arts is offered to all graduating high school seniors planning to attend an accredited two- or four-year college and major in the performing arts or the education of the performing arts. A scholarship for $500 or more will be awarded to the top student(s) selected by the committee. The deadline for submission is Sunday, February 14th 2021.

If you or a student you know is interested or if you have any questions please contact our Executive Director Claudia Stuart at [email protected].

12/25/2020

Merry Christmas from all of us at Theatrical Gems!

Our gift to all of you is this video of Gems favorite (and a good friend of Santa himself) Marty Courtney singing his own special version of a holiday favorite.

As 2020 comes to a close we look forward to 2022 and when we can once again produce shows for all of you. We are hoping to be able to do something outside when the weather warms up, and then back inside when it is safe.

09/03/2020

WFMZ interviewed our dear friend (and star of our production of Sweet Charity) Colette Boudreaux about her 5 month battle with COVID. Please listen to Colette and her husband John, take this seriously so that we can all stay healthy and get back to enjoying shows (onstage and off) soon.

Colette Boudreaux has been in the hospital four times.

08/24/2020

We are beyond thrilled that our virtual production of Michael Hagins AS YOU WISH IT has been selected as today’s MONDAY MATINEE by TDF. Congratulations to Michael and the terrific cast for this awesome honor!

tdf, the Theatre Development Fund, runs the TKTS discount booth in Times Square, the TodayTix app, as well as a number of accessibility programs for Broadway and off-Broadway.

08/19/2020

Our own Sweet Charity, Colette Boudreaux, needs your positive thoughts and prayers right now. She has been fighting COVID since the first week of April, and while things seemed better the last couple months she was rushed back to the hospital last night with new symptoms.

Colette is such an important part of the theatre community all over Eastern Pennsylvania. She is a performer, director, choreographer, producer, but she is also a theatre and dance educator, sharing her love of the arts with young people.