by Ashley Bossinger
The Niagara County Community College Theater Department is thrilled to be shifting back to pre-Covid production schedules and cannot wait for Students to experience the merciful journey into the art of theater with all the new and incoming actors and productions that the major has to offer.
The NCCC (Niagara County Community College) Theater department is doing two plays this semester. This will be the first time since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic that the department has been able to make this happen. This is to restore the Niagara County theater department to its original glory pre-Covid-19. Pre Covid the standard procedure was one play and one musical each semester, but since the department returned in the fall of 2021 with, “Laughing out Loud”, the theater has not had the resources or the necessary cast to put out two shows.
How ever this semester post Covid Fall 2023 the Theater department has seen a surge in the major including new incoming first-year students and transfer students. This Growth of students in the Major puts the department in the positions to produce and conduct effective productions. This puts the department in the position to continue to grow towards normalcy. “It makes me happy really happy to see” says fourth semester theater major student, Brian Cunningham. “I was part of the unlucky few who started the program when they were still trying to put the pieces back together. We still sort of are putting them back. We are a really small department, we still have few professors able to teach the required courses, but that does not mean that we are not capable of working hard and putting that work on” the stage.” Brian is currently working on the production of William Shakespeare’s “Macbeth,” which meets Tuesdays and Thursdays for rehearsals. “This production of Macbeth has rehearsal process unlike anything I’ve ever worked on before and I’m very excited to see how everything comes together and for everyone to come and see it!” Also “Macbeth” opens in the NCCC Arts and media theater on November 15th and will close on the 18th of the same month.
Also catching up with other students in the Theater department to see how they feel about the circumstances regarding the department Jacob Slusser gave the statement” This will be my second production here at NCCC and I am very excited to get the chance to be in my first play in our black box theater since even before the pandemic. The plot of the play lends itself nicely to the intimate space that the black box provides.” The Dumbwaiter is a play written by Harold Pinter and Features only two actors in the 90-minute run time. NCCC Theater Majors Andy Ruither and Jacob Slusser will be performing the Two-hander in the black box theater, located in the F building lobby.
The Niagara County Community College Theater department encourages all students and staff to come enjoy all of the hidden talent that is waiting to bust out of the college. The theater department will be displaying posters around the college, keep your eyes and ears open to make sure you do not miss out on a chance to see and absorb the creative talent of these amazing students.