Adirondack Family Time™

Clare Paulson as Thomasina Coverly and Miles River Willow as Septimus Hodge in Arcadia “ Forget this world and all its troubles and if possible its multitudinous Charlatans—every thing in short but the Enchantress of Numbers .”  ~Charles Babbage, 1833 What:   Arcadia , by Tom Stoppard, is a conundrum set in two time periods where the past and future collide when scholars at an old English estate try to prove theories by piecing together the past.  Where : Pendragon Theatre , 15 Brandy Brook Ave, Saranac Lake, 518-891-1854,  Advanced tickets price:  $30/adult, $25/senior, $15/student with ID, $20/matinee At Door ticket price : $35/adult/senior, $25/student, $20/matinee When:   Saranac Lake: August 26,27 28 at 8 pm Tyler Nye as Valentine Coverly and Shamus Hunter McCarty as Bernard Nightingale in Arcadia (Saranac Lake) There are only three chances left to see Pendragon Theatre’s performance of  Arcadia  and it shouldn’t...

Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike at Pendragon Theatre What: Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike won the 2013 Tony award for Best Play. Written by Christopher Durang, this play centers around three siblings, their housekeeper, one adoring neighbor and a 20ish boy toy.    Where : PendragonTheatre, 15 Brandy Brook Ave, Saranac Lake, 518-891-1854,  Advanced tickets price: $25/adult, $22/senior, $15/student with ID, $20/matinee At Door ticket price : $30/adult, $27/senior, $20/student, $15/matinee When: Saranac Lake: July 29, 30, 31, August 1,4,5,6,7 at 8 pm with a matinee at 2 pm on August 2 PENDRAGON THEATRE BRINGS BELLY LAUGTHS AND GOOD FUN WITH VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE Cassandra (Christina Eskridge) predicts the future (SARANAC LAKE)   The comedy Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike is as long in name as it is in laughs. Directed by Shawna Mefferd Kelty, this captivating show is set in present time Bucks County where mid...

Tintypes at Pendragon highlights snapshots of history through song and dance.  What: The Tony nominated play, Tintypes , a musical conceived by Mary Kyte with Mel Marvin and Gary Pearl, is a turn-of-the-century musical revue that provides a series of vignettes into America’s immigrant experience at the onset of World War I. The cast of five actors documents the end of an era through a series of songs and a poignant understory. Where : Pendragon Theatre, 15 Brandy Brook Ave, Saranac Lake, 518-891-1854, www.pendragontheatre.org Advanced tickets price: $30/adult, $25/senior, $15/student with ID, $20/matinee At Door ticket price : $35/adult/senior, $25/student, $20/matinee When: Saranac Lake: July 2, 3,7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17 at 8 pm with matinees at 2 pm on July 4,11,18. VIEW in Old Forge: July 6 at 8 pm. Tintypes: A fun play for all ages.  By, Diane Chase, AdirondackFamilyTime.com (Saranac Lake)  Tintypes , now playing at  Pendragon Theat...

DEADLINE EXTENDED: February 16 Last year Saranac Lake’s professional theatre company Pendragon Theatre provided a unique opportunity to any high school-aged young adults living within the whole Adirondack Park, The Pendragon Young Playwrights’ Festival. The Festival focuses on a competition for high school students to submit a one-act play (up to three plays per playwright or team) on any subject. The February 1 st  deadline is quickly approaching so I want to encourage young adults to take advantage of the chance to have their winning play performed at the March festival.  I’m always a bit skeptical of writing competitions. There always seems to be some hidden fee involved, but Pendragon Theatre’s competition is free. The winning playwrights are also given the chance to meet with a creative team to further develop their submission for the stage before the March production.  

(Saranac Lake) This year’s Rising Star Productions has found a new home for its fall children's musical at Pendragon Theatre . Over 30 area kids will be on stage to dance and sing their way through the pages of the classic 1945 Swedish book series “Pippi Langstrump” by Astrid Lindgren. This family-friendly show is a fun kids' activity, appropriate for all ages. The book series was adapted for the stage by Sebastian and Staffan Gotestam and became “Pippi Longstocking: The Family Musical.” This two-act play is directed by McCayla Quinn and focuses on the free-spirited adventures of the red-haired, self-reliant character Pippi (played by Robyn Rutgers) who lives with her horse and pet monkey in the Villekulla Cottage while her sea captain father (Simon Thill) is out at sea. “There are all sorts of hijinks throughout the show,” says Quinn. “Pippi stops thieves from stealing her pirate gold. She takes over the circus where she is stronger than Mighty Adolf, the strongest ...

Camp Pendragon, in collaboration with   Pendragon Theatre , is hosting a special  presentation of “the musical "Little Shop of Horrors”" by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman. Winner of a Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Musical,  Drama Desk Award for Best Musical, Outer Critics Circle Award  and Evening Standard Award for Best Musical, "Little Shop of Horrors" has become a cult phenomenon.   When “ a luckless florist shop worker, Seymour, starts raising a strange plant that feeds on human blood and flesh he starts becoming famous. Trying to impress Audrey, the woman he loves, Seymour keeps feeding the plant. (The musical is based on the low-budget 1960  black comedy  of the same name.) Chaos ensues as Seymour must find unorthodox ways to keep feeding his plant.    WHEN :  July 22 at 7 pm  and  July 23 at 1 pm WHERE : Pendragon Theatre in Saranac Lake, NY. COST :  $10 for Adults, $5 for Students

Pendragon is pleased to announce that Witter Swanson, a student at Saranac Lake High School, will receive a full production of his play “Elmer.” The runner-up receiving a reading of her piece is Amber Baker, a student at Beekmantown, for her play "The Esteemed Institute."  Pendragon would like to thank all of the young playwrights who submitted their work and making this festival a success. Please join Witter, Amber, and the Pendragon crew at the theatre on  April 5  for a full day of festival activities: From  10 a.m. to 12 p.m.  Pendragon invites children in grades 1-6 to join Jessica Deeb and Executive Artistic Director Karen Lordi-Kirkham for a workshop entitled “Playwriting on Your Feet.”

Each March Pendragon Theatre offers to the public something new whether introducing a new director, play or original work.  For me this opportunity highlights the importance of live theatre. When seeing a movie the audience misses all that goes into the making of the film and can only catch a glimpse when the credits role with job descriptions that most of the time have little meaning.  Theatre gives us the chance to see a collaborative effort where special effects are not computer generated.   Pendragon Theatre, Saranac Lake, is presenting its annual New Directions Series  Friday, March 22 nd  at 7 pm and Saturday, March 23 rd  at 2 pm and 7 pm. General Admission tickets are $5.

Pendragon Theatre in Saranac Lake, the Adirondacks only year-round professional theatre is taking its production of "To Kill A Mockingbird" on the road.

The Adirondack's only year-round professional theatre presents "To Kill A Mockingbird"  Performances  in Saranac Lake are:  November 17,18,19, 30 at 7:00 p.m.   December 1, 2 at 7:00 p.m.   The only matinee is Sunday, December 4, at 2:00 p.m.   The production will return to Saranac Lake for only one more performance  as a part of the Winter Carnival on February 11, 2012 at 7:30 p.m. To Kill A Mockingbird  will tour through March to schools and Arts Centers throughout the region. Consult the Pendragon Theatre’s website or contact the Pendragon Theatre directly for information about these performances “on the road”. Ticket prices are $20 adult, $18 senior and $10 for people under 17. For further information contact the theatre at: 518-891-1854,  via e-mail:  pdragon@northnet.org   or on the web: www.pendragontheatre.org.  © Diane Chase, author of Adirondack Family Time: Tri-Lakes and High Peaks (Your F...

By Diane Chase On May 8th,   Pendragon Theatre   will open with the E.B. White classic story of   Stuart Little   adapted for the stage by Joseph Robinette. Personally I belief that seeing a family play isn't just for people with kids. Sometimes in my hectic life I want to be reminded of magic and animals that talk and to be pulled along into a story that exercises my imagination.   Stuart Little   promises all of that. Pendragon Theatre Managing Director and Co-Founder Bob Pettee says," There will be no intermission during   Stuart Little . It is a one act play. The basic story is of a couple who have an unusual son, a talking mouse. We follow the mouse on a series of adventures and meet a variety of characters along the way." Read more

Don't be a Scrooge! Check out Pendragon Theatre's performance of A Christmas Carol.  Call 518-891-1854 for reservations. Tickets are $10.00 for adults and $8.00 for those under 17 At the Pendragon stage December 18 and 19, 2:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m.  December 21, 22, 23, 7:00 p.m.  At the Lake Placid Center for the Arts December 27, 28, 7:00 p.m. 

Is your child interested in theatre? This year Pendragon Theatre , the Adirondack's only year-round professional theatre, will present performances of “A Christmas Carol” as its Holiday production. For the past several years a variety of different plays have been performed but the Theatre felt it time to return to a much loved holiday classic to conclude the 30th year celebration! Auditions and an informational meeting will be held on Saturday the 23rd of October at 1:00 p.m. Kent Streed will direct. The auditions will consist of readings from the script. The production will open on the18th of December and will have a couple of performances at the Lake Placid Center for the Arts after Christmas – the schedule will be available at the auditions. For other information or questions please call the Theatre at 518-891-1854.

Pendragon Theatre* in Saranac Lake is celebrating its 30th year with deals on live performance subscriptions. Four subscription types are available between May 1, 2010 - April 30, 2011. Pendragon will offer 11 productions Year Round: All 11 events (including Moby Dick and Shakespeare) $120 Year Round: All 9 events $100 The 5 Show Summer Full Length: $70 Special 30th year deal: "3 for $30" = 3 events for $30 restrictions do apply. only one per person per season) Good for any combination of full length, cabaret, alumni event, etc but just three events. The line-up is An adaptation of Jungle Book Sarah Ruhl's Eurydice Constance Cogdon's adaptation of The Imaginery Invalid Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolff A return engagement of Orson's Welle's Moby Dick Rehearsed A return engagement of The Complete Works of Shakespeare (abridged) One Night Only "Pendragon Alumni" staged reading on July 17, 2010 with reception Cabaret Evenings - so...

A 2006 South Australian study into arts education indicates that going to the theatre can improve children’s literacy and social skills. The Children's Voices study documented the impact of live theatre on 140 State Government primary school students over three years. It was conducted and jointly funded by the Department of Education and Children’s Services, The University of South Australia and Windmill Performing Arts. Windmill Performing Arts project manager Julie Orchard, who is a Department of Education and Children’s Services teacher, said children’s oral and written language improved significantly during the project. In a prepared statement, author of the report and director of the study, Professor Wendy Schiller, Director of UniSA’s de Lissa Institute of Early Childhood and Family Studies Research Group, said the children’s response to live arts performance directly affected their learning and their lives. “The most noticeable impact was the children’s marked gain in lit...

Just a quick note for anyone looking for a rainy day activity this weekend. Pendragon Theatre is performing Moby Dick Rehearsed November 20 and 21 at 7:30 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. on November 22. My ten-year-old and I attended the opening and we both loved it. It is remarkably well done. Even if you have not read the Herman Melville book of the white whale, the play brings to life that suspenseful tale of the sea that all can enjoy. Pendragon Theatre has managed to tell the story in just two hours. For an unabridged annual reading marathon you would have to travel well outside the Adirondacks to the New Bedford Whaling Museum where each year the book is read out loud by approximately 150 readers in a mere 25 hours.