Tri-State raises funds for upcoming romantic comedy
NEWTON — In advance of their upcoming spring show "Heels Over Head," the Tri-State Actors Theater is holding a Kickstarter fundraising campaign to raise $6,000 to cover production expenses and actors' salaries.
“It is for the development and production of a brand new play which gets people interested and they tend to donate,” said Tri-State Actors Theater artistic director, Paul Meacham.
Raising funds
Utilizing Kickstarter for their fundraising effort, donations will be accepted through Thursday, March 27 at 3:13 p.m. and can range from $1 to $1,000.
“Even children or young people that are interested in theater can donate as little as $1 or $5,” said Meacham. “There are people that I have never heard of that just like the idea. This is, I think, reaching a huge number of people. It's reaching more than just telephoning all of Sussex County."
If the goal is not reached, the theater will not receive any funds.
"We don't get any money if you don't reach the goal," he said. "It is an all or nothing sort of thing."
Spring Show
The show, “Heels Over Head,” is a brand new comedy from playwright Susan Goodell. The romantic comedy is a play centering on a group of six 20 and 30 year olds and their journey to end up as three couples.
“It's a story about very specific types of people trying to figure out where to live and how to manage life together while the people around them begin to meet one another,” Meacham said. “It shows how love at first sight becomes a very complicated relationship and it is a very funny, very delightful comedy in trying to work this out.”
While one member is making her Tri-State Actors Theater debut, the rest of the cast has worked in the company before.
"Jason Szamreta was involved in the very first reading and has been in the process from there," Meacham said. "Carie Ivanovski is a local actress from Sparta and she has worked a lot with other productions but not with us before. She thoroughly impressed our director so she will be making her debut.”
Patricia Durante, a singer, actor and a playwright will is the director for the show. She is familiar with the show and directed the readings. Meacham will serve as stage manager this time around.
The show opens in April but preparations are well underway already.
"We have already written up contracts and had them signed. We've drawn up the posters and just those sort of details," Meacham said. "We've designed the set as well and we've had meetings about costumes. The cast has their scripts now but the official two week rehearsal won't begin until April.”
"Heels Over Head" will be performed at the Performing Arts Center, Sussex County Community College, 1 College Road, Newton, N.J. Purchase tickets or for a link to the Kickstarter fundraising site visit tristateactorstheater.org.