MCCC Theatre & Dance Students To Pursue Pure Creativity in Performances

With a goal to encourage students to explore "pure creativity," Mercer County Community College's theatre and dance students will spend the first weekend in December on stage as they present original dance and physical theater. Performances take place at the college's Studio Theatre, located next to Kelsey Theatre on the West Windsor campus, 1200 Old Trenton Road.

A "Student Dance Concert" takes place Friday, Dec. 3 at 8 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 4 at 2 p.m. Under the direction of instructor Janell Byrne, five student choreographers will present 10 original numbers inspired by a variety of dance traditions. The performance will feature from 20 to 25 dancers performing solo and in small groups.

According to Theatre/Dance Program Coordinator Jody Person, the concert will give advanced students an opportunity to blend skills they have learned in their choreography and technique courses. "We are encouraging them to be wildly creative," he said, adding that the choreographers will not appear in their own numbers. "We want students to watch and critique what they have created."

Featured choreographers include: Amanda Evans of Hamilton, Laura Murey of Hamilton, Brianne Scott of Allentown, Maleek Colvin of Trenton, and Lauren-Carmel Sirak of Trenton.

Later on Dec. 4, Theatre students will perform "The Storm" at 8 p.m., with a second performance to follow Sunday, Dec. 5 at 2 p.m. Person describes this new play as "a set piece with a script, in which students also use improv to explore the work and to come up with movement ideas." Themes of loss and parent-child dynamics echo those of Shakespeare's "The Tempest," which students will perform in the spring.

The show is a true exercise in creativity, Person notes. "The actors will explore the balance between movement and text. They will also have a chance to interact with the audience. There is no traditional seating. The audience will be invited to move around. Some of the action will take place above, below and next to them. The students are excited and curious about how this improvisational work will turn out."

Featured in "The Storm" are : Ryan Homer of East Windsor, Taylor Pickett-Stokes of Trenton, Aidin Clemons of Trenton, Terry Brown Jr. of Hightstown, Ned Ianacone of Princeton Junction, Nicholas Andrejco of Trenton, Parker Harris of Lawrenceville, and Tristan Takacs of Hamilton.

Both productions feature lighting and sound by MCCC's Entertainment Technology students with lighting design by Program Coordinator Robert A. Terrano and sound design by instructor Alex DeFazio; sets and costumes by Kate Pinner; and stage management by Jill Donchak.

Tickets for both events are $14 for adults, $12 for seniors, and $10 for students and children. Tickets may be purchased by calling MCCC's Kelsey Theatre Box Office at 609-570-3333 or by ordering online at www.kelseytheatre.net.