U.D. Summer Stage premieres “Hunchback of Notre Dame”
UPPER DARBY » Upper Darby Summer Stage brings the Philadelphia area premiere of “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” when it comes to the stage in July and August. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. July 2829 and Aug. 4-5 and 1:30 p.m. July 29 and Aug. 5 at the Upper Darby Performing Arts, 601 N. Lansdowne Ave., Drexel Hill.
Based on Victor Hugo’s novel and adapted from the Disney film, “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” brings a dramatic tale of complex relationships to life with a score by Allen Menken and Steven Schwartz.
Upper Darby Summer Stage has been selected as the first theatre in the Philadelphia region to tackle this emotional story, exploring the good and evil tendencies inside of everyone. “It’s much more than simply a Disney animated musical brought to the stage,” said composer Allen Menken. “It’s a pretty serious musical. It represents a huge coming together of talent. It’s anything but a musical comedy. It’s a musical drama.”
Ticket costs are $13-$17 and are available by at www.udpac. org, or call the box office at 610622-1189. The performance is approximately 2.5 hours, including intermission. Parking is free. The production is appropriate for children 12 and up.
Each season Upper Darby Summer Stage presents a spectacular, full-scale musical Mainstage production. Aspiring actors ages 1828, along with Children’s Theater “graduates” have the opportunity to audition. Mainstage members rehearse in the evenings during the summer, beginning in early June and culminating in performances in late July.
The Upper Darby Performing Arts Center and Upper Darby Summer Stage are jointly sponsored by Upper Darby Township Mayor and Council and the Upper Darby School District Board of School Directors through the Department of Recreation and Leisure Services.
For information on this production and Upper Darby Summer Stage’s 42nd season, visit www. udpac.org
Delco Film Fest returns with sports documentary
NETHER PROVIDENCE » The Delco Film Festival screens “Michael Volpe, The Free Agent Fan: A True Story,” a video on the quest of a lifelong baseball fan to eventually select the Philadelphia Phillies as his new favorite major league team, at 7 p.m. July 7 at the Foundry Church, 25 Cedar Road.
Director Andrew Volpe’s video is dedicated to his father, Michael Volpe. When the senior Volpe’s favorite baseball team, the Giants, suddenly traded his favorite player, Matt Williams, in 1997 he declared himself a “free agent fan” and went shopping for a new team. What followed was the equivalent of a six-month fantasy camp. Volpe visited a number of major and minor league ballparks. He met with officials from the Baltimore Orioles, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, Miami Marlins, Durham Bulls and others. His actions captured the attention of the national media, who followed his quest for months. He was featured in publications including People Magazine, Sports Illustrated, the Washington Post, the New York Times and USA TODAY, and television and radio from NPR, “The Today Show” and “Good Morning America” to the CBS Morning News, CNN, Fox News and the BBC. Volpe eventually chose the Phillies and the Durham Bulls as the major and minor league teams to whom he pledged his loyalty.
Now at the 20th anniversary of his father’s journey, Andrew M. Volpe’s video contains a narration of how the “free agent fan” phenomena occurred, interspersed with videos of major media interviews, print articles and original animation.
Andrew M. Volpe now works as a video producer and editor. Michael Volpe retired from the federal government in 2014. He lives in Virginia with his wife, Mary Beth, who hails from Delaware County.
For information, visit www.delcofilmfestival.com
The Bard visits parks around Philly region
MEDIA » Commonwealth Classic Theatre Company is pleased to announce its 2017 Free Theatre in the Parks production of William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet.” CCTC dives into outdoor Shakespearean tragedy for only the second time in its history, presenting Shakespeare’s heartbreaking tale of two “star-crossed lovers”, the tribal war that infects both their families and their society at large, and the love that threatens to tear it all apart.
The company is especially excited to be building this production around two remarkable leads, Campbell O’Hare (Juliet) and Trevor William Fayle (Romeo). Both are recent Barrymore award winners, O’Hare as Best Supporting Actress in a Play for 2015’s “Rapture, Blister, Burn” at the Wilma, and Fayle for Outstanding Ensemble in a Play for Inis Nua’s 2016 production of “The Radicalization of Bradley Manning.”
The company holds an open final dress rehearsal at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 6, at Hoffman Park, Lansdowne, and a performance at 7 p.m. Friday, July 21, at Brookhaven Municipal Park (rain or shine for Brookhaven performance). Nearby Chester County performances include 7 p.m. Friday, July 7, at Everhart Park, West Chester; 6:30 p.m. Thursday, July 13, at East Goshen Township Park; and 7 p.m. Saturday, July 15, at West Goshen Community Amphitheater (rain date July 16).
The Media-based Commonwealth Classic Theatre Company was founded and incorporated in 2005 and is dedicated to the principle that theatre is a vital component of a civil society. For information and a full list of Philadelphia region performances, visit www.cctheatrec.org or call 610639-3352.