GCC’s Forum Players Celebrate 50 Years of Theatre!

BATAVIA, NY (04/05/2018) The Forum Players at Genesee Community College have been hard at work preparing a celebratory production recognizing 50 years of theatre with a compilation of spectacular songs, dances and dramatic highlights from the past. From Chicago to Peter Pan, audiences will marvel at the sights and sounds of great theatre.

GCC’s 50th Anniversary Celebration of Theatre will be performed on Thursday, April 26, 2018, Friday, April 27, 2018 and Saturday, April 28, 2018 at 7:30 p.m. and again on Sunday, April 29, 2018 from 2 p.m. for everyone’s convenience.

“There has always been a vibrant culture of performing art in this community. When the Stuart Steiner Theatre opened in 1992, GCC upped the ante even further, presenting an enormous volume and incredible quality of great theatrical work performed by students, faculty, staff and community members. From Chicago to Cabaret, One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest to Peter Pan and so much more,” Maryanne Arena, GCC director of Fine and Performing Arts, said. “It has been a thrill providing the community with great shows and our students with great experiences. This medley of great theatre is not to be missed!”

Tickets to see GCC’s 50th Anniversary Celebration of Theatre are available now and are $8 for adults, $5 for seniors (55+) and GCC faculty/staff. Students and children are $3, and GCC alumni with ID will receive a $2 discount on an adult ticket. To reserve seats, contact the GCC box office at boxoffice@genesee.edu or (585) 345-6814.

The anniversary medley is comprised of numerous musical numbers, monologues and excerpts from plays performed in the theatre’s past. Cast members are listed below according to their performances.

The musical numbers will feature:

• Pippin – “Corner of the Sky” by Cody Taylor of Medina, NY – “With You” by Pedro Pires de Araujo of Brazil
• A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum – “Comedy Tonight” by Marissa Carbonell of Batavia, NY – “Love, I Hear” by Gregory Rojo-Hallock of Batavia, NY – “Lovely” by Taylor Wilson of Cheektowaga, NY
• HMS Pinafore – “Sorry Her Lot” by Jessica Pierce of Batavia, NY
• Singin’ in the Rain – “Singin’ in the Rain” by Gregory Rojo-Hallock of Batavia, NY
• You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown by Becka Naber (soloist) of Hamburg, NY
• Peter Pan – “I Won’t Grow Up” by Alannah Gross of East Bethany, NY, Branden Simmons of Syracuse, NY, and Michael Busch of Medina, NY – “Hook’s Waltz” by Rob Reiss of Elba, NY, and Benjamin Martis of Curacao
• Chicago – “Funny Honey” by Liliam Montilla of Bronx, NY – “When You’re Good to Mama” by Khalisah Muhammad of Harlem, NY – “Mr. Cellophane” by Rob Reiss of Elba, NY – “All That Jazz” by Natsumi Sasabe of Tokyo, Japan
• The Mystery of Edwin Drood – “There You Are” by Norm Gayford (lead soloist) of Warsaw, NY, Marissa Carbonell of Batavia, NY, Alannah Gross of East Bethany, NY, Pedro Pires de Araujo of Brazil, Cody Taylor of Medina, NY, and Maki Ishikawa of Saitama, Japan – “Moonfall” by Maki Ishikawa of Saitama, Japan – “Both Sides of the Coin” by Norm Gayford of Warsaw, NY, and Rob Reiss of Elba, NY – “Off to the Races” by Pedro Pires de Araujo of Brazil, Benjamin Martis of Curacao, and Spencer Henley of Akron, NY
• Black History Month – “What a Wonderful World” by Chris Canty of Rochester, NY

Additional dancers and ensemble members include: Max Peters of Arcade, NY, Marissa MacLeod of Perry, NY and Jennifer Schreiber of Rochester, NY

The celebratory medley will also feature the following monologues:

• For Colored Girls Who’ve Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf by Tori Ogunsanya of Brooklyn, NY, Tatiana Breland of Syracuse, NY and Kamm Turner of Syracuse, NY
• Clue the Musical by Cody Taylor of Medina, NY, Chris Canty of Rochester, NY, Alannah Gross of East Bethany, NY, Jessica Pierce of Batavia, NY, Branden Simmons of Syracuse, NY, Spencer Henley of Akron, NY and Pedro Pires de Araujo of Brazil
• Lives of the Great Waitresses by Taylor Wilson of Cheektowaga, NY, Emily Carey of Middleport, NY and Marissa Carbonell of Batavia, NY
• God’s Favorite by Josh Erb of Fillmore, NY and Jacob Natalizia of Oakfield, NY
• Death Knocks by Rob Reiss of Elba, NY and Josh Erb of Fillmore, NY
• Vampire Lesbians of Sodom by Cody Taylor of Medina, NY, Kayla Lander of Mayfield, NY, Chris Canty of Rochester, NY and Benjamin Martis of Curacao
• Colored Museum by Khalisah Muhammad of Harlem, NY
• Chicago by Liliam Montilla of Bronx, NY

For more information, contact Marketing Communications Associate Director Donna Rae Sutherland at (585) 343-0055 ext. 6616, or via email: dsutherland@genesee.edu.