CWT News (click links below to read more)

  • Elliot Norton Awards[+]
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    The Elliot Norton Awards celebrated their 30th Anniversary this evening at the Paramount Center in Boston. Presented by the Boston Theater Critics Association, the awards are named in honor of the distinguished Boston theater critic Elliot Norton, who for many years served on the selection committee and who remained an engaged supporter of the drama, both locally and nationally. For 48 years Mr. Norton was a drama critic for Boston newspapers; concurrently, from 1958 until his retirement in 1982, he was moderator of Elliot Norton Reviews on WGBH-TV. For more information, visit ww.nortonawardsboston.com.

    The Artistic Director of Boston Playwrights’ Theatre and Co-Founder of The Elliot Norton Award-Winning Theater Marathon! Kate Snodgrass received The 2012 Elliot Norton Prize For Sustained Excellence.

    The Elliot Norton 30th Anniversary Emerging Artists Award: The Factory Theatre for continuing to support new talent.

    The Elliot Norton 30th Anniversary Award: Spring Sirkin (Broadway Producer/Chamber Theatre Productions). For many years of myriad assistance to The Boston Theater Critics Association, The Elliot Norton Awards, and theawards’ namesake.

    A Special Citation was presented to The Charlestown Working Theater for "adventurous collaborations that provide unique insights into theater from around the world”.

    Legendary song and dance man TOMMY TUNE closed the evening performing “‘Swonderful” while also remembering fondly Mr. Norton. TommyTune received The 30th Anniversary Elliot Norton Lifetime Achievement Award. Known as one of the most prolific director/choreographer/performers of the twentieth century, Tommy Tune has enchanted audiences over the past 50 years with his charisma, vision, and innovation.

    Following the ceremony nominees, winners, patrons and fans gathered in the Jackie Liebergott Blackbox for acommunity-wide celebration.

    For more information visit http://nortonawardsboston.com or on Facebook or Twitter @nortonawards.
  • CWT's Katie McGoff wins Charlestown Community Appreciation Award![+]
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    CWT's own Katie McGoff received this year's Community Appreciation Award in the Youth category. The Awards Committee cited Katie's work at the CWT over a twelve-year period, her dedication to working  as a mentor for younger children at the theater, her artistic talent, and her great potential. Katie will attend the University of New Haven in the fall of 2012, majoring in theatre and criminology. She has received several scholarships, including the prestigious Quinn Scholarship. Congratulations, Katie!
  • Recent Press Articles[+]
  • Article from the Patriot-Bridge Newspaper[+]
    The Charlestown Working Theater has launched an ambitious this season in partnership with Boston-based theatre company the Actors’ Shakespeare Project. The Twelfth Night Project includes performances by CWT actors and musicians ages 6-12 this December, followed by performances by the CWT Advanced Acting Ensemble ages 13-17 in January.

    Now in its third year, the partnership between CWT and Actors’ Shakespeare focuses on classes and workshops for CWT youth, performance support, and field trips. Professional actors from ASP lead weekly classes each fall in preparation for a full Shakespeare production each winter/spring. The CWT Ensemble will work on Twelfth Night this fall, with an open rehearsal in December, and a full production January 20-29, directed by CWT Co-Director Jennifer Johnson.

     “It’s a fantastic project, and the play is extremely fun to work on, the actors really enjoy themselves. They learn so much from working closely with Actors’ Shakespeare, it’s a great opportunity”, says Jennifer Johnson, who recently visited Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre in London.

     The CWT Ensemble recently went on a field trip to see the Actors’ Shakespeare Project production of Twelfth Night at the Boston Center for the Arts. “The kids had a blast, they were really fired up about the play and working with the actors they saw onstage” says Johnson.

     "It is a treat for ASP to work with youth at the Charlestown Theater because they bring such a vibrancy, enthusiasm and commitment to their characters. We are thrilled to be working in Charlestown again. We always have a special time and folks love coming to the CWT.", says Lori Taylor, Project Director of the Actors’ Shakespeare Project.

     CWT Co-Director Kristin Johnson developed the idea of expanding the project to include younger CWT actors by creating an adaptation of Twelfth Night to be performed December 10th-18th. The performance will bring in additional poetry, music, and Twelfth Night traditions. The project also allows CWT teens to mentor their younger colleagues by working on the show as stage managers, assistant directors, and backstage technicians.  “At the CWT we encourage collaboration and responsibility”, says Jennifer Johnson.  “The teens are great leaders for the younger guys, and the younger actors learn so much from them, and enjoy being with them. Encouraging mentorships is important to our organization, and in this project we have professional actors mentoring our teens, and the teens acting as mentors for the younger actors. The whole project opens up the possibility of deepening our CWT community in a really fun and artistically exciting way.”

    CWT believes strongly in the empowering quality of the arts. It is an essential part of the CWT artistic mandate to offer affordable quality arts programming to the youth of Charlestown. The CWT’s educational programming fulfills many of the theater's goals by bringing the community together in a creative enterprise. Students are able to take weekly classes in theatre, music, dance, and visual art, as well as participate in CWT’s popular youth performances. CWT’s educational partners include the Actors’ Shakespeare Project, The Charlestown Boys and Girls Club, and Citizens Schools at the Clarence Edwards Middle School.
  • EdVestors receives $4M Wallace grant for BPS Arts Expansion Initiative[+]
    The Warren Prescott School has received a grant from EdVestors' BPS Arts Expansion Initiative to work with the Charlestown Working Theater to provide theater programming to sixth, seventh, and eighth graders at the school. CWT will partner with the Actors' Shakespeare Project to expand it's successful Shakespeare program to serve the Warren Prescott's middle school students. Read more about the BSP Arts Expansion Initiative:

                                 EdVestors receives $4M Wallace grant for BPS Arts Expansion Initiative

    On February 8, 2012, the BPS Arts Expansion Initiative announced the receipt of a $4 million grant from the Wallace Foundation in New York to expand and sustain high-quality arts education in schools across the district. Launched in February 2009, the Initiative is focused on increasing access, equity, and quality of arts learning for all BPS students. The investment from the Wallace Foundation will support high-quality arts education through new approaches to arts instruction, curriculum, and professional development for teachers; partnership coordination; and student and family engagement. The approach to this work is outlined in The Arts Advantage: A Report to the Community on the Creation, Progress, and Phase II plan for the BPS Arts Expansion Initiative. Developed by a collaboration of local funders, the schools, arts organizations, the school district, the Mayor's Office, and managed by EdVestors, the Initiative is now a six-year, $10 million effort. Local foundations including the Barr Foudnation, The Boston Foundation, Hunt Alternatives Fund, Klarman Family Foundation, and Linde Family Foundation have contributed more than $4 million that focuses increasing direct arts instruction for students. To date, these investments have resulted in significant growth in the number of students receiving arts instruction during the school day - an additional 14,000 BPS students have access to visual and performing arts instruction today as compared to three years ago.

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