Atlantic City Weekly

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The Ocean City Theater 
Company has a dual nature to it. 


On one hand, the company is known for its professional productions of musicals and plays throughout the year, but equally important to the theater company is an education program focused on students from the sixth through 12th grades.


“When we formed the company, we wanted to be 50 percent about our productions, but also 50 percent about education.,” says Michael Hartman, artistic director of the company. 


“We wanted to offer something for kids who we’re really serious about the performing arts and give them a way to come together and be part of a professional production.”


This Friday and Saturday, Aug. 26 & 27, that comes together with the company’s annual junior theater production at the Ocean City Tabernacle. This year’s play is Godspell.


“There were a lot of reasons that we chose Godspell,” says Hartman. “I wanted to give them something that’s perhaps a little more challenging than some of our previous productions. This is a production that will test their acting props.


“But it’s also a play that keeps all the actors on stage through most of the production,” he says. “So there’s no way anyone can say they weren’t on stage very long.”


Godspell, which was first produced in 1971 on Broadway, was also a good fit for the Tabernacle. The musical features a series of parables based on the Gospels. 


“The idea of theater is to bring everybody together,” says Hartman. “This is the first time we’ll be performing at the Tabernacle and we wanted something that would fit with the venue and bring is a wide audience. It’s always been a dream of mine to put on Godspell in that space.”


Godspell will be presented by the Ocean City Theatre Junior Company Fri., Aug. 26, at 7pm, and Sat., Aug. 27, at 2pm at the Ocean City Tabernacle, 5th and Wesley Avenue. Tickets are $15 for adults, $13 for children 12 and under. For tickets call 525-9248. 


Also this week, National Public Radio’s popular show From The Top, hosted by famed pianist, Christopher O’Riley, will tape a broadcast with the Ocean City Pops Orchestra at 8pm, on Wednesday, Aug. 31, at the Ocean City Music Pier, (Boardwalk and Moorlyn Terrace). 


From the Top has become the preeminent showcase for young musicians. The Ocean City broadcast taping will feature 16-year-old violinist Amy Semes from Broomal, Pa., performing the first movement of Henryk Wienawski’s “Violin Concerto No 1” with the Ocean City Pops; 18-year-old trumpet player Jacob Hernandez, of Philadelphia, playing Vivaldi’s “Concerto for Two Trumpets” with Pops artistic director William Scheible, and 17-year-old cellist Austin Huntington, of South Bend, Ind., performing with host O’Reily on piano.


The program is scheduled to air across the country on National Public Radio (NPR) the week of Nov. 14 and locally on WRTI 90.1 FM on Sun., Nov. 20 at 2pm.


The taping is scheduled as a regular feature of the Pops summer program. Tickets are $20/$15 at the Music Pier Box Office. Call 525-9248.