Sunday, July 21, 2024 | 4pm – 5:30pm
Reading Public Museum Arboretum, Reading, PA
In Nature’s Studio brings performing arts outdoors and invites the audience to take a walk through a beautiful naturescape to see new work in a new way. It is presented by the Reading Theater Project with JCWK Dance Lab and the Reading Public Museum.
Performance locations along the path:
(A) Audience Check In
Check in at the tent with the banners. Volunteers can give you a printed program, direct you to the restroom, add you to our email list, and accept your donations.
(B) The Complete Works of Hrotsvitha von Gandersheim (abridged)
Hilariously abbreviated plays from the first known female playwright.
Created by Megan Rose, performed by Jeanette Fotis, Matt Fotis, Emily Hannon, and Megan Rose.
Performing at 4:05pm, 4:20pm, 4:40pm, 5:10pm
(C) Song of the Dragon
A peasant attempts to teach a fire-breathing dragon to sing.
Written by Adam Richter, directed by Joel Gori, performed by Jeremiah Loubriel and Ariel Ulrich
Performing at 4:15pm, 4:35pm, 4:55pm, 5:15pm
(D) You Are Here/Here Be Dragons
What would you do if you found a dragon egg under your bed?
Written and directed by Kimberly Patterson, performed by Hailey Firek and Sabrina Grim.
Performing at 4:20pm, 4:40pm, 5:05pm, 5:20pm
(E) Hatchling Lullaby
Hatchling Lullaby is inspired by the relationship between women, mothering and dragons as referenced in “The Lost World of Dragons.”
Performance: Sarena Gable, Jessica Warchal-King; Music: Marty Bonk; Choreographic Direction: Jessica Warchal-King
Performing at 4:00pm, 4:25pm, 4:45pm, 5:10pm
(F) The Bougie Tatou
The armadillo candle: two dragon-esque songs.
Performed by Tamara Black, Chris Heslop on woodwinds, Lars Potteiger on accordion.
Performing at 4:15pm, 4:35pm, 4:50pm, 5:15pm
(G) The Draco Symposium
Brass “dragons” meet in a field.
Composition by Chris Heslop; Trumpet: John Hess, Bob Stoyko; Trombone: Jimmy Damore, John Loos; French Horn: Shari Gleason-Mayrhofer, Anne Nye
Performing at 4pm, 4:30pm, 5:00pm, 5:30pm
(H) Arboretum and Dragon
A small-scale (hence the one dragon and one arboretum) improvisational role-playing game where all the choices are made by the audience.
Created by Rob Wiedman, performed by Rob Wiedman and Erick Goldsmith.
Performing at 4:10pm, 4:45pm, 5:05pm, 5:25pm
(I) Eroded
Griffin research suggests that the Gobi desert was a dinosaur nesting ground. “The bleached white fossil skeletons and nexts containing stony eggs from the Cretaceous era constantly weather out of the red sandstone cliffs.” Eroded explores what lies beneath the surface.
Performance: Arielle Ridley, Cady Monasmith, Megan Zalek; Music: Nicholas Franceschi, Riley Monasmith; Choreographic Direction: Jessica Warchal-King
Performing at 4:05pm, 4:25pm, 4:50pm; 5:10pm
(J) The Year of the Dragon
Stories from the year of the Dragon.
Written and performed by Amy Young with Zoe Wiedman.
Performing at 4:10pm, 4:35pm, 4:55pm, 5:20pm
(K) Alaskan Soundscapes and Wingspan
Wingspan reflects on the magnificence of human imagination and our power to create connections and beauty from our environment.
Music written by Jill Haley about the amazing landscapes of Alaska.
Dana Cullen on piano and Jill Haley on oboe/English horn.
Dancers: Carla Mannix, Dawn Dietrich, Kelly Spiece Prentice; Choreographic Direction: Jessica Warchal-King
Performing at 4:05pm, 4:40pm, 5:05pm, 5:25pm
Throughout the park: Pleine Air Painters from the Art Plus Gallery in West Reading: Karen Burnette Garner, Steve Fabian, Helen Reinhold, Russell Slocum, Steven J White, Karen Weber
Production Team:
Directors: Vicki Haller Graff (theater), Chris Heslop (music), and Jessica Warchal-King (dance)
Stage Manager: Kalya Laucks
Please take photos and videos! Tag us (@readingtheaterproject, @jcwkdancelab, @rdgmuseum), the performer, and use #RTPinNature! We’ll re-share from there!
Support the Arts in Berks County: In Nature’s Studio is generously supported by the United Way of Berks County and the Reading Musical Foundation. All of Reading Theater Project’s work is supported by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts and Berks Arts.
Join our community of arts supporters.
Special Thanks to:
Reverend Mandy Miller and the staff at Holy Cross UMC for rehearsal space, Wendy Koller and staff at the Reading Public Museum for performance support
JCWK Dance Lab would like to thank Alvernia University and the Heritage of Green Hills.
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