Apollinaire Theatre has been nominated for nine Elliot Norton awards—Boston’s most prestigious theatre award.
If you caught their show in PORT Park last summer, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, you were likely very impressed by the teen lead, Seamus G. Doyle, who has been nominated for Outstanding Actor. Doyle worked with an autism consultant to craft his portrayal of 15-year-old Christopher Boone, exceptional at math but ill-equipped to interpret everyday life.
Brooks Reeves and Becca A. Lewis, both frequent and popular performers with Apollinaire, have been nominated for Outstanding Actor for their roles in The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart. Two actors new to the Apollinaire stage last year, Lily Kaufman and Alexander Pobutsky, have been nominated for Outstanding Actor for their roles in Cry It Out and Hir, respectively.
The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart has also been nominated for Outstanding Production, Outstanding Ensemble, Outstanding Direction: Danielle Fauteux Jacques, and Outstanding Design: Elizabeth Rocha, David Reiffel, and Danielle Fauteux Jacques.
Audiences loved Prudencia, by Scottish playwright, David Greig, and the Apollinaire production enjoyed an extended run. Critics praised Apollinaire’s immersive staging taking the audience on a Scottish trip to hell and back, and the magic the ensemble created with their vivid characters and live music.
Before learning of their nominations, Apollinaire was looking for something to celebrate, like most of us, during this troubling time. Their answer was to launch free online programs as a way for adults and youth to participate in the arts from home. As Apollinaire’s Artistic Director, Danielle Fautuex Jacques, was recently quoted in the Globe, “artists always find a way.”
First, there’s Apollinaire at Home, a script-reading gathering over Zoom that takes place Thursday – Saturday at 7:30pm and a Sunday “matinee” at 3:00. Participants download the script, (pour themselves a glass of wine if they wish), sign on to the meeting, indicate the kind of role they’d like to read or if they’d prefer to be an audience member, and then the fun starts! So far they’ve read 21 play and film scripts, such as Melida Lopez’s Sonia Flew, Jaws, Sense and Sensibility, and A Raisin in the Sun.
For youth, their acting instructor, Anna Hadingham, has been running free online Acting and Games classes for kids ages 4-8 and 9-16 on Wednesday and Friday afternoons. Ms. Hadingham states, “I knew that entering a period of lockdown and quarantine without access to cultural learning and artistic outlets would be extremely tough on the community’s young population. In coordination with local efforts of community organizations and the public school system, we were able to promote high-quality online classes for local kids and teens over Zoom. Both age groups have deeply enjoyed the chance to see friends, laugh together, and experience a highly engaging group activity while in their own homes.” All are welcome to join the classes. For information visit: HYPERLINK “http://www.aplaylab.com” \t “_blank” www.aplaylab.com
Apollinaire Theatre Company produces adventurous contemporary theatre, and free outdoor summer shows. Apollinaire’s home is the Chelsea Theatre Works in Chelsea Square, which houses their three theatres: the Apollinaire Theatre, the Riseman Family Theatre, and the Black Box. Their programs also include their youth program—Apollinaire Play Lab, a Resident Artist Program, and a soon to launch bi-lingual community theatre program.