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Love of theater drives young Chautauquan to support CTC in all ways he can

Admission to the Chautauqua Theater Company Conservatory requires that an applicant be at least 20 years old. With those standards, Justin Kuhn will have to hold out another nine years.

Justin, 11, is an aspiring actor. While most conservatory members hold an undergraduate degree — at the very least — Justin already is a fixture at Bratton Theater, and he has not yet entered sixth grade. Though he is not yet eligible to participate in the productions, he is determined to be involved as much as possible in Chautauqua’s theater scene.

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Zinman to workshop one-act play in Fletcher Music Hall Saturday

While Chautauqua Theater Company has completed its season, guests looking to get one last dose of theater will find it at Fletcher Music Hall at 2 p.m. Saturday with Chautauquan David Zinman’s one-act play “What’s in a Name?”

Zinman, who runs the Classic Film Series at the Chautauqua Cinema, typically does a staged reading of his plays at the end of each season. His inspiration for this season’s play came from a real-life story he heard while in a library one day.

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Friends of CTC find success with new events in 2011

The Friends of Chautauqua Theater Company work hard to provide financial and moral support for the Chautauqua Theater Company each season, and the 2011 Season allowed for continued and new events to help show this support, executive director Gwen Tigner said.

The “Adopt an Actor” program was the first of the Friends events this season, and this program acts as direct support for the 14 conservatory members as the Friends match them with “parents.” While Tigner said the adoptive relationships vary from pair to pair, the program acts as an underlying support system for the conservatory members, even if they just need a place to do a load of laundry.

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Shakespeare productions give McSweeny chance to cast CTC vets

When he’s not at Chautauqua serving as artistic director of Chautauqua Theater Company, Ethan McSweeny puts his directing skills to good use. He already has plans to direct three productions following the season. Prior to the start of this summer, he worked with the Shakespeare Theatre Company directing William Shakespeare’s “The Merchant of Venice.”

The show ran June 21 through July 24 at Sidney Harman Hall in Washington, D.C., and McSweeny said what made this production special was the number of CTC alumni in the cast. This list includes former conservatory members Liz Wisan (Nerissa), Amelia Pedlow (Jessica) and Matthew Carlson (Lorenzo).

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Conservatory’s hidden talents shine in tonight’s cabaret

After getting to know and love the actors of Chautauqua Theater Company throughout the summer, Chautauquans will have one last chance to see the conservatory members as a group at the Bratton Late Night Cabaret.

The event will take place at 10:30 p.m. tonight at Bratton Theater.

Artistic Director Ethan McSweeny said the Cabaret is a great way for conservatory members to finish out their summer in Chautauqua.

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Walsh to take audience’s questions at ‘Love’s Labour’s Lost’ ’fore-Play

For a deeper understanding of William Shakespeare’s “Love’s Labour’s Lost,” guests can attend tonight’s “’fore-Play: Love’s Labour’s Lost” at 7 p.m. in Hurlbut Memorial Community United Methodist Church.

Directing fellow Patrick Walsh will lead the event as an open dialogue with the audience rather than a lecture. It will last approximately 45 minutes, allowing attendees enough time to arrive to Bratton Theater for the 8 p.m. performance of the play.

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Photos by Lee Cherry

Broadway vet Anderson presents special Bratton performance

Chautauqua Theater Company presents Broadway veteran Nancy Anderson for an evening of selections from the American Songbook at 7 p.m. tonight at Bratton Theater.

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Bratton tours allow audiences to see Shakespearean CTC set up close

Two tours at Bratton Theater today allow guests to go behind-the-scenes of Chautauqua Theater Company’s production of William Shakespeare’s “Love’s Labour’s Lost.”

Each tour will have a different focus. The first is specific to families of all ages, and the second will be tailored for regular theatergoers.

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‘The Brothers Size’ takes actors, audience out of comfort zone

Even though Chautauqua Theater Company is in the midst of running its production of William Shakespeare’s “Love’s Labour’s Lost” at Bratton Theater through Aug. 19, its members also have found the time to put together a performance of a much different play called “The Brothers Size.”

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CTC’s ‘Love’s Labour’s Lost’ full of good sport

You can assess the mettle of an acting company not simply by what members deliver after weeks of study and rehearsals but by how they react to unexpected mishaps.

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