The cast of “WONDERFUL LIFE” prepares for a wedding. LEFT TO RIGHT: Jordan McClure of Middleboro, Hayden Darjelis of Middleboro, Michael Braddock of Middleboro, Shawn Carlsen of Taunton, Holly Haggerty of New Bedford, and(Front row) Jakob Cardoza of South Dartmouth

 

Local Anonymous Donor Subsidizes 40 complimentary Tickets to "It's a Wonderful Life"

THE BURT WOOD SCHOOL OF PERFORMING ARTS will present the stage version of Oscar-nominated Frank Capra 1946 classic movie It's A Wonderful Life on Saturday, December 4th, at 7PM, and on Sunday, December 5th, at 5PM at The Alley Theatre in Middleboro. The movie classic featured Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed as the famous newlywed couple George Bailey and Mary Hatch.

Last week an anonymous donor approached artistic director Lorna J. Brunelle, offering to subsidize $600.00 worth of tickets to the show. The donor is offering the first 40 patrons the following offer: For every two tickets purchased, an anonymous donor would offer a complimentary third ticket. The first 40 people who walk in the door to purchase two tickets will receive the third ticket as a holiday gift. This offer is available on a first come first serve basis while tickets last. Brunelle had the following comment to offer, “We are honored to receive this gracious gift! Sharing the magic of live theatre during the holidays is an inspirational act of kindness.”

The Burt Wood School of Performing Arts ALLEY THEATRE is located at 133 Centre Street in Middleboro. Tickets are $15.00 and seating is limited. For more information please call (508) 946-1071, or visit burtwoodschool@aol.com.

 

 

Matthew Bruffee and Richard Bois (seen on the 2009 set of A Christmas Carol) team up again on IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE.

 

 

"It's a Wonderful Life" directed by Matthew Bruffee comes to
Burt Wood's new Alley Theater

THE BURT WOOD SCHOOL OF PERFORMING ARTS will present the stage version of Oscar-nominated Frank Capra 1946 classic movie It's A Wonderful Life on Saturday, December 4th, at 7PM, and on Sunday, December 5th, at 5PM at The Alley Theatre. The movie classic featured Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed as the famous newlywed couple George Bailey and Mary Hatch. It's a Wonderful Life, almost as familiar as A Christmas Carol, is the perfect choice to follow last year's successful BWSPA production of the Dicken's classic for this season's Christmas presentation.

The story of It's a Wonderful Life, perfectly suits the stage, and tells the saga of an everyman, George Bailey from a small town just like Middleboro, but called "Bedford Falls" and was actually based upon the town of Seneca New York. In the play we find our protagonist George's dreams of escape and adventure have been quashed by family obligation and civic duty, and he contemplates a jump into the local river on Christmas Eve. His bumbling guardian angel, Clarence, has to descend to earth to save him in order to earn his "wings". Which he does, and then has to remind him by showing him what the world would have been like if George had he never been born and that his has been, after all, a wonderful life. The play resolves happily celebrating the restoration of faith, joy of the season, love of family, friends, and colleagues and the American philosophy of life that hard work and fair play and support of one's family and community will be rewarded.

The BWSPA production will be directed by Matthew Bruffee who directed the Burt Wood students last year in an adaptation of the Dicken's classic "A Christmas Carol." Bruffee offered the following comments, "This is one of my all time favorite movies, and I know the kids will have a blast bringing it to life. Since this play is about a small town, troubled lives, and a spirited resolution, it is perfect timing, perfect location, and I know with the talent that abounds at Burt Wood, we will have the perfect cast. The theatre is charming and the school lifts your spirit from the moment you walk in because it is charged with new energy, and full of the passion for the arts. Lorna (Brunelle) and Bill (Fuller) have done an extraordinary thing in creating the school and the theatre and bringing a vacant space new life. I know their entire team is very proud of this new jewel in our town. I hope that everyone comes to support the shows, the events and the kids!"

Richard Bois, who costumed ACC last year, and recently also did Burt Wood's "Godspell" is already organizing at the new space, and pulling potential 1940s vintage clothing to try on the students once the cast is selected. When asked how Richard feels about costuming the upcoming the show he responded by saying, "I love working on the 1940s because the fashion at that time was so unique. The silhouettes were form fitting, and everyone always looked sharp as a tack! I have one gorgeous black dress from the period that is just dying to be on stage and hopefully we can use it in this show."

The Burt Wood School of Performing Arts ALLEY THEATRE is located at 133 Centre Street in Middleboro. Tickets are $15.00 and seating is limited. For more information please call (508) 946-1071 or visit burtwoodschool@aol.com. For more information please visit our new Alley Theatre page and click on Events.

 

 

 

"HOLIDAY SPECIAL"

The original movie HOLIDAY SPECIAL will air on Sunday, December 13th 2009 at 2pm and 5pm at the Middleboro Town Hall in the grand ballroom located at 10 Nickerson Avenue in Middleboro. Immediately following the movie, a live performance of A Christmas Carol will begin.
Tickets are $15.00 for adults and $10.00 for children
under 16 and includes a double feature of the movie and the play. For more information call 508-946-1071.

Photos from the production of the movie "HOLIDAY SPECIAL" - Burt Wood School Winter Film Project 2009. Click here...

PHOTO GALLERY: Middleboro native Andrew Osborne wrote, directed and filmed the short movie “Holiday Special” on Nov. 11 - click here for more...

EMMY AWARD WINNER TO DIRECT LOCAL PROJECT

MIDDLEBORO —Middleboro native Andrew Osborne is returning to his hometown to direct A HOLIDAY SPECIAL an original movie written by Osborne. On Wednesday, November 11th, 2009, from 9:00AM-5:00PM, Andrew will shoot the movie at various locations in Middleboro. “In honor of Veteran’s Day, school is closed on November 11th. We thought it was the perfect time to invite students to be part of a movie. Working with Andrew gives people the opportunity to experience a day on set and build their resume at the same time.” –Lorna Brunelle, Artistic Director, The Burt Wood School of Performing Arts.

Osborne to direct local movie project

The Harvard-educated director and filmmaker was a comedy writer for The Harvard Lampoon as well as an arts reporter for The Harvard Crimson. Upon graduation, he moved to Los Angeles where he studied improvisational acting at the famed Groundlings Theater with the likes of Lisa Kudrow and Patrick Bristow. Mr. Osborne has since directed numerous independent films as well as written films for theatrical distribution as well as for video/DVD release. Most recently, he has been a featured writer and director for several original productions, has developed an MTV project and has collaborated on independent feature films and theatrical pieces. Mr. Osborne is also a writing, acting and filmmaking teacher with past and current classes at UMass, Tufts University Experimental College, Quincy College, The Cambridge Center for Adult Education, Brookline Adult & Community Education, Boston Casting Inc., and The Burt Wood School of Performing Arts. In 2008, Osborne won a daytime Emmy for his work as a writer on the hit show CASH CAB.

Bait Shop Productions, in conjunction with The Burt Wood School of Performing Arts, has collaborated on several ventures including the national competition, The 48-Hour Film Project. Their 2009 entry SOX POCK won BEST OF BOSTON, Best Use of Prop, Best Use of Song, Best Comedy, and local actress Ellie Osborne won Best Supporting Actress. All past entries (2006 SHOE, 2007 FARM FORCE, 2008 DE ZOMER KAMP, 2009 SOCK POX) can be accessed on You-Tube. Osborne has teamed up with The Burt Wood School for the past five years to direct a movie as part of their summer arts festival. Past projects include: Rhinoceros (2004), Assassin (2005), Most People (2006), "3:15" (2007), THE PROTECTORS (2008), and MIDAFTERNOON (2009). A HOLIDAY SPECIAL will model The 48 Hour Film Project in that actors will be assigned roles the moment they arrive on set, and the project is a short film.

The movie will air on December 13th, 2009 at 2PM and 5PM in the grand ballroom of the Middleboro Town Hall.
The screening will preceded the Burt Wood School’s performance of A CHRISTMAS CAROL.
The cost to participate in the project is $75.00. To register for this event, call Maureen Whalen at 508-946-1071.

The Burt Wood School of
Performing Arts
Proudly Presents
A CHRISTMAS CAROL

Directed by Matthew Bruffee
Middleboro Town Hall Grand Ballroom
December 13th, 2009 2PM & 5PM  General Admission $15.00 adults,
$10.00 children under 16
508-946-1071

The Burt Wood School of Performing Arts cast of A Christmas Carol takes a break from rehearsal to pose for a cast photo. The show is December 13th, 2009 at 2:00pm and 5:00pm at the Middleboro Town Hall.
Click here for more information and photos from the production...

Cast Members of The Burt Wood School of Performing Arts production of A Christmas Carol prepare for the upcoming production. (L-R) Kristen Pettey of Taunton "Ghost of Christmas Future", Abby Wheeler of Marion, "Ghost of Christmas Present", Cameron McDonough of Bridgewater "Ebenezer Scrooge", and Heidi Fiore of Taunton "Ghost of Christmas Past". The Kathryn Shultz Miller adaptation of this holiday classic opens December 13th, 2009, at the Middleboro Town Hall in the grand ballroom. There will be a 2pm show and a 5pm show.
Tickets are $15.00 for adults and $10.00 for children under the age of sixteen.

Scrooge is visited by three ghosts.

For more information call 508-946-1071. Click here for photos from the production...

Click here for more photos from the production...
Click here for photos from the December 13th play!

Ten year old Lily Jeswald of Lakeville, will appear as "Holly" in the show.

New York Producer/Director to Direct A CHRISTMAS CAROL

The Burt Wood School of Performing Arts in Middleboro is pleased to announce that Matthew B. Bruffee will be directing A CHRISTMAS CAROL this fall. Middleboro native Matthew B. Bruffee has devoted his life to the magical world of the Performing Arts. He studied Theatre, Dance and Visual Art at Hofstra University receiving his BA in '85 followed by an MFA in Performing Arts Administration from Brooklyn College in '91.

Based in New York City for the past 25 years, he is an Actor, Director, Producer, Administrator and all round Arts & Events Specialist. He has worked for the following companies in New York: Carnegie Hall, Trisha Brown Dance Company, City Center Theatre, Bay Street Theatre Festival in "The Hamptons", Broadway Cares fundraising program Dancers Responding to AIDS, Cortez & Company Contemporary Ballet/NY, Thomas Martin Events, Bette Midler's New York Restoration Project, Jack Morton Worldwide, in Las Vegas for Production Group International, in Boston for Executive Travel Directors, and in New York for Empire Force Events.

New York Director/Producer to Direct Local Play

He has also worked for MIT Sloan School of Management and Kennison Associates here in Boston. He has had the privilege of working with many celebrities, but his favorites will always be Julie Andrews, Lauren Bacall, and Bette Midler. He currently resides in Middleboro, is a Board Member and Resident Director for Nemasket River Productions. He directed NRPs' 2008 summer production, Beth Henley's "The Miss Firecracker Contest" and just finished directing Clare Boothe Luce's "The Women" for NRP this spring 2009. He recently was a judge for the 2009 Burt Wood Idol and New Bedford's Got Talent programs. In August of 2009, his unique eye for costume design colored the stage of The Burt Wood School of Performing Arts production of THE WIZ.

On Tuesday, October 20th, 2009, from 4:00PM-7:00PM, Matthew will be holding auditions for A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. This Kathryn Schultz Miller adaptation of the Holiday classic will be performed at the Middleboro Town Hall in the grand ballroom on Sunday, December 13th, 2009 at 2:00pm and 5:00pm. Students should prepare a Holiday carol and will be expected to read from the script. Auditions are at The Burt Wood School of Performing Arts located at 63 Anderson Avenue, Suite B, in Middleboro. Rehearsals will be on Saturdays from 9:00AM-1:00PM (excluding November 28th) beginning on October 24th, 2009. Cast members are invited to fundraise their entire production fee of $275.00 ($45.00 per week). Fundraising packets are available in the Burt Wood office.