Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford Office of International Services and Study Abroad is looking for students, alumni, faculty, staff, and community members who live within 30 miles of Pitt-Bradford to submit photos for an upcoming exhibit. The 2nd Annual Pitt-Bradford Photography Exhibit will be on display from Jan. 17 through Jan. 31 in the KOA Art Gallery in Blaisdell Hall. This year’s theme is a celebration of Pitt-Bradford’s 50th anniversary. Amateur photographers may enter the following categories: 50 and Beyond; Black and White; Famous Things; Nature and Animals; Daily Life; and Most Creative. The People’s Choice category will be open to everyone, including professional photographers. Professionals will also be considered in the “Best Professional Shot” category. All student photographs will be considered for the “Best Student Shot.” An opening reception will be held at noon Jan. 17 in the KOA Speer Lobby of Blaisdell Hall. Those att...

Same Time, Next Year , The Music Man , JAWS the Musical Planned Hits from the movie screen will take center stage, as Bradford Little Theatre kicks off its 17th season in November with “Same Time, Next Year,” to be followed by the “The Music Man” in March and closing with “JAWS the Musical” in June. > “Audiences may fondly remember these favorites from the big screen, but they will fall in love with the stories all over again as performers bring them to life on our community stage,” said Nanci K. Garris, BLT president. Directed and produced by the long-time successful team of Nanci K. Garris and Diane Arnett, “Same Time, Next Year,” a romantic comedy-drama written by Bernard Slade, will play Nov. 15 through 17. The first two shows will be at 7:30 p.m.; the final performance will be 2 p.m. matinee. Since its opening in 1978, “Same Time, Next Year” has consistently been a popular romantic comedy. The play ran four years on Broadway, was a successful motion picture and remai...

Tickets go on sale Saturday at outlets and online for Bradford Little Theatre’s production of “The Marriage Counselor” to be held January 18-20 at First Presbyterian Church, 54 E. Corydon St. The comedy written by Joey Ouellette takes place in a counselor’s office where mistaken identities lead to many amusing and awkward situations. Advance tickets at $5 per adult and $4 for seniors/students will be available starting Saturday (Dec. 8) at Graham Florist, Ott & McHenry Pharmacy and Tina’s Hallmark. They are also available online at www.bradfordlittletheatre.com  or by email at tickets@bradfordlittletheatre.org . Show times are 7:30 p.m. on Jan.18 & 19, and 2 p.m. Jan. 20. “This show will be performed with script in hand,” director Kristin Asinger said. “Audience members will experience everything that a traditional play offers, except for the actors delivering their lines from memory. With only five rehearsals, the cast members will not be asked to memorize lines; t...

Music, marriage and magic will be the themes for Bradford Little Theatre’s 16th season which opens in October with “The Marvelous Wonderettes,” follows with “The Marriage Counselor” in January and closes with “East of the Sun, West of the Moon” in April. “”We are offering light fare this year, with a girl quartet singing hits from the 50s and 60s aimed at music lovers; a script-in-hand comedy designed for people who wish to perform but have just a week to commit to the project; and a fairy tale offering for families,” said Nanci K. Garris, BLT president. Created and written by Roger Bean, “The Marvelous Wonderettes” will be offered Oct. 25 through 28 at First United Presbyterian Church social hall on East Corydon Street in Bradford. The first three shows will be at 7:30 p.m.; the final show will be a 2 p.m. matinee. BLT veteran Cindy Graham will direct the lively four-woman musical with Andy Dutka as music director and Ardyth Van Scoy as choreographer. Graham, who is directing for the ...

Nanci K. Garris was re-elected president of Bradford Little Theatre during the group's annual meeting on Tuesday at its 79 Main St. office. Also re-elected to office for one-year terms were Cindy Graham, vice president; Marcia Morrison, treasurer; and Cindy Matteson, secretary. Re-elected to two-year terms on the board were Graham, Morrison and Kristin Asinger. Re-elected to a one-year term was Matteson. The board also includes Kathy Bryant, Diane Kerner Arnett and Marcia McAndrew. A non-profit group now entering its 16th season, the community theater group features productions with all-local talent. The past season included Charlotte's Web, Twelve Angry Men and Stay as Dead as You Are. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

If you missed today's LiveLine with some of the cast members and the director of Bradford Little Theatre's "Stay as Dead as You Are" you can listen here . The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Bradford Little Theatre has announced the cast of its upcoming dinner theater production, “Stay As Dead As You Are.” The play will be performed at the Masonic Center, 625 South Ave. in Bradford, PA on Friday and Saturday, April 20 and 21 at 7pm and on Sunday, April 22 at 2pm. Advance tickets cost $20 per person and include dinner, dessert and drinks. Seating is limited, so tickets will only be sold at the door if available. Door price is $25 per person. Written by Lee Mueller, this “injury” comedy is set at a high school class reunion. Within a brief amount of time, the events of the reunion begin to turn bad, really bad. Director Kristin Asinger stated, “When the cast and crew read through the script during the first week of rehearsals, they found themselves laughing at all of the numerous, funny lines. The characters are all so zany and unique, I am anxious for the cast to bring these characters to life!” BLT veterans Carrie Russell of Smethport an...

Both actors and technical crew are being sought for the next Bradford Little Theatre production, the comedy dinner theater show "Stay As Dead As You Are" by Lee Mueller. Directed by Kristin Asinger, the show will be presented April 20-22 at the Masonic Hall on South Avenue, Bradford. For the production team, Asinger is looking for anyone interested in helping with publicity, set, props, sound, costumes, servers or stage crew. People can contact Kristin at kristin_asinger@yahoo.com or can come to auditions. Auditions will be on Sunday, Feb. 26th from 3-5pm and Tuesday, Feb. 28th from 6:30-8pm at Bradford Little Theatre's new 79 Main St. offices. Perusal scripts are available at Bradford Public Library to be signed out for one day. Rehearsals will begin March 11. In this play, Haldeman High School class of 1982 is having a class reunion and it goes bad, really bad! With the same playwright and director as last year’s “I'm Getting Murdered in the Morning," the show...

The fourth annual “Beyond Funny” improvisational comedy show by the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford’s Pitt Improvers will raise money to benefit the Tuna Valley Trail Association and CARE for Children. The family-friendly show will take place at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 10 in the Bromeley Family Theater in Blaisdell Hall at Pitt-Bradford. Adult tickets are $5, and students and children are free. Tickets will be available at the door. Performers in the student improv troupe will create scenes on the spot based on suggestions from the audience. Last year’s show raised more than $1,000 for three Bradford-area nonprofit organizations. Kristin Asinger, Improvers advisor and visiting instructor of sports medicine, said that each year, the Improvers choose one to three organizations to be involved in the show. “The Tuna Valley Trail Association has made such an impact on our community for hikers, cross-country skiers and cyclists,” Asinger said of ch...

Director Cindy Matteson has announced that casting is complete and rehearsals are underway for “Twelve Angry Men,” the second production of Bradford Little Theatre’s “Fun, Furious Fifteen” season. The Emmy Award-winning story by Reginald Rose, adapted for the stage by Sherman Sergel, takes the audience into the jury deliberations of what appears to be an open-and-shut case of murder. The play is a period piece from the 1950s; it lasts about 80 minutes and will have no intermission. The drama will be performed at the auditorium of the First Presbyterian Church, 54 E. Corydon St., Bradford, on Friday and Saturday, February 3 and 4, at 7:30 p.m. with a matinee performance at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 5. “Fourteen talented men from around the region will bring this drama – one of my personal favorites – to life,” said Matteson, a BLT board member and veteran director of both Otto-Eldred Junior-Senior High School and BLT productions. “Many of us held our breath this year awaiting the verdicts in ...

The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford has announced new directors for its international studies and criminal justice programs. Kristin Asinger, visiting instructor of sports medicine, has been named the new director for international studies, taking the place of Isabelle Champlin, who retired last spring. Dr. Steven Hardin, vice president and dean of academic affairs, said, “Kristin brings a wealth of experience to her new position as director of international studies. She has had a long-standing interest in multicultural experiences, as evidenced by her international travel and the fact that she has hosted several international exchange students. I know she’ll do a great job in this new role.” In her new position, Asinger will help students who want to study abroad to fulfill their goals by finding a program that is right for them, providing scholarship information and advising them through the process. She also welcomes and orientates internatio...

The Kiwanis Club of Bradford is pleased to present its 54th annual show Extrem eMakeover: Kapers Edition. This year’s cast numbers more than 100 performers and the show’s varied repertoire includes song and dance numbers as well as comedy skits, percussion numbers and guest stars. More than a dozen artists from the community are also participating by painting scenery depicting some of the area businesses and organizations. In keeping with the theme, the businesses will get a makeover look to their existing “storefronts.” Show chair is Michele McCann. Co-directors are Kristin Asinger, Barb Pedersen, and ShelleyWright, who is also the musical director. Producers are Karen Buchheit and Candy Tingley. choreographers are Felicia Lively Munday and Brittany Rose. Extreme Makeover: Kapers Edition will be performed November 10, 11, and 12 at 7:30 p.m. at Bradford Area High School. Advance tickets are on sale at Graham Florist on Kennedy Street, all Northwest Savings Bank locations i...

By Kimberly Marcott Weinberg Assistant Director of Communications and Marketing A new program at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford is helping international students adjust to college life in the United States. Pitt-Bradford has more international students than ever – a record 23 this year. Dr. Ron Binder, associate dean of student affairs, developed the new VISA Mentor Program so that a fellow student could help them adjust to life on campus. Each international student is paired with a mentor for the course of the school year. After arriving a few days early for the start of the school year, mentors gave the new students tours of campus and its buildings and services and the city of Bradford. Students used the Area Transportation Authority to give the tours so that the international students would know how to use the available public transportation system. As part of the program, mentors also touch base with their students on a weekly basis, to check on their status throughout t...

A children’s classic, a drama and a mystery dinner theater make up Bradford Little Theatre’s “Fun, Furious 15” season. The season kicks off in October with “Charlotte’s Web” and then moves on to the tension-filled “Twelve Angry Men” in February with the comic “Stay as Dead as You Are” in April. “It’s going to be great to offer another production featuring young people, a drama about jury deliberations in a murder case that touches on current events, and, by popular demand, our second dinner theater” said Nanci K. Garris, BLT president. “Charlotte’s Web” will offer both adults and students in grades 6 and up the opportunity to perform in the auditorium at Otto-Eldred Junior-Senior High School in Duke Center. Garris, who has directed young people in BLT’s “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” and “A Christmas Story,” returns to direct the full-length play by Joseph Robinette. Story author E.B. White wrote to Robinette that “You have kept its spirit and my intent. Congratulations an...

By SANDRA RHODES It's a true case of win, place or show. The winners are the ticket holders, the place is Pennhills Club and the show is the Derby Gala. This year's Derby Gala, an annual event that benefits the Bradford Area Public Library Endowment Fund, will run from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday at the Pennhills Club. The event centers around the running of the Kentucky Derby, but this year has many new facets, including a casino night. "We wanted to add more fun to the event," said Kristin Asinger, co-chairwoman of the event. "After the race is over people would leave. We hope this will entice more people to come and stay." The price of the ticket will include $850 of "funny money" that can be used in the casino that will include slot machines, roulette, black jack and Texas Hold 'em. More money can be obtained through a donation. The funny money can in turn be used to win funny money raffle items at the end of the evening. The fun will start ...

Two out of three performances of “I’m Getting Murdered in the Morning” have been sold out, Bradford Little Theatre officials announced today. While more than 100 tickets are still available for the 2 p.m. performance on Sunday, February 27 show, no tickets are available for the Feb. 25 or 26 shows. “With the show taking place at a wedding reception featuring a catered dinner,” said BLT president Nanci K. Garris, “There is no traditional seating, and there is no standing-room-only seating.” “We are delighted with the public response and excited to present this comic murder mystery as part of Improv in February,” she added. Tickets for Sunday’s show are $15 per person in advance, and may be purchased through Graham Florist, Ott & McHenry Pharmacy or Tina’s Hallmark. They may also be ordered by email from BLT treasurer Marcia Morrison at tickets@bradfordlittletheatre.org . The Lee Mueller play will be presented at St. Bernard Educational and Social Center, 95 E. Corydon St. Directors ...

The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford and Bradford Little Theatre have combined forces to present “Improv in February,” four events in one month that include different forms of improvisation. Local improv groups will put on a workshop, show and play, and renowned improv group The Second City will visit Bradford. “During our improv shows, everything is made up on the spot right in front of the audience,” explained Kristin Asinger, visiting instructor of sports medicine and advisor for the Pitt Improvers, Pitt-Bradford’s own student improv group. The Improvers will offer the first two events of Improv Month, an improv workshop from noon to 3 p.m. Feb. 5 in Room 218 of the Frame-Westerberg Commons. The workshop is open to the public with registration available at the door. Participants will work on acting skills through improv games and exercises. There is a fee for members of the public. The Improvers 3rd Annual Beyond Funny...

Tryouts for the murder mystery dinner theater “I’m Getting Murdered in the Morning” will be held Monday and Tuesday (Jan. 10 and 11) from 7 to 9 p.m. at Bradford Area Public Library. Kristin Asinger will direct and produce the second show in Bradford Little Theatre’s “Out of the Box” season. Assistant directors will be Tim Asinger for improvisation work and Kathy Bryant, performance. Performances will be Feb. 25-27 at St. Bernard Educational and Social Hall on East Corydon Street. The performance includes audience participation and some improvisation, though Asinger stressed that no experience with improvisation is necessary. “We are looking for 14 people who can play together, as well as work together. There are roles for both men and women from late teens to their 70s, and both experienced performers and first-timers,” said the BLT board member. Also, Asinger is looking for cast members to play a wedding photographer, disc jockey and people who would help serve the buffet dinn...

Bradford Little Theatre has gone “Outside the Box” for its 14th season with new types of productions at all-new venues, including improvisation, fantasy and script “near hand.” “We are excited to be stretching our wings, reaching new audiences, and offering a full-scale production outside Bradford” said Nanci K. Garris, BLT president. “We will have new faces in new places.” The funny and poignant “Grace and Glorie” by Tom Zeigler opens the season with performances Oct. 8-10 at the auditorium of the First Presbyterian Church, 54 E. Corydon St. The two-woman show portrays the friendship between a feisty, illiterate, 90-year-old mountain woman and a transplanted New York City resident with a Harvard MBA. As part of Bradford Improv Month in February, BLT board member and Pitt Improvers advisor Kristin Asinger will direct the dinner theater “I’m Getting Married in the Morning.” That production will be held at St. Bernard Educational and Social Center on Feb. 25-27, with two evening shows an...

The National Weather Service says there were reports of at least four tornadoes in Cattaraugus and Chautauqua counties Saturday evening. During a news conference at 9 p.m., the NWS said the first was spotted in the area of the Chautauqua Institute. One of the twisters had a seven-mile path of destruction that was 150 yards wide. They estimated the wind speed of that tornado at 125 miles per hour. So far there are no reports of injuries. Bradford resident Kristin Asinger told The Buffalo News she saw the funnel cloud descend from the sky and touch down near Chautauqua Lake. Tornadoes also made their way to Randolph in Cattaraugus County, where a twister knocked down gas pumps at a Sugar Creek store. http://www.buffalonews.com/weather/article80888.ece Photo by Brandon Teribery, used with permission from Kristin Asinger