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s e r v i n g tay l or , ol d f or g e , moosic & surrounding areas triborobanner.com |march 23, 2017
A bereavement support group is planned at Allied Services |PaGE 4
Terry’s Diner, a Moosic landmark, was recently honored |PaGE 5
Old Forge students scored well at a science competition |PaGE 6
LittLE GanGstErs
Phoenix Kids season opens with ‘Bugsy Malone’ By Josh McAuliffe
sPeciAl To The TRiBoRo BANNeR People love gangster movies. But audiences were treated to a completely unique take on the genre with the 1976 film, “Bugsy Malone,” which found the hoodlums and molls portrayed by an all-child cast. The movie has since been adapted as a stage musical, and the folks at Duryea’s Phoenix Performing Arts Centre decided it was the perfect show to kick off its 2017 Phoenix Kids season. The show opens Friday, March 24, and runs over the next two weekends until Sunday, April 2, at the center, 409 Main St. in Duryea. Friday and Saturday shows start at 7 p.m., while Sunday matinees begin at 2 p.m. Admission is $10; $5 for kids 5 and younger and are available by reservation or at the door. For reservations, call the Phoenix box office at 570-457-3589. Phoenix’s take on “Bugsy Malone” is sure to provide a pleasant bit of nostalgia for adults who are familiar with the Alan Parker-directed movie, whose kid cast
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From left: Aidan Casey, Moran Cookus-Gnoinski, Rory Moher, Jacob Hull, Aiden Hart and Brody Grymko.
was led by Scott Baio and Jodie Foster. Just like the movie, the stage musical is set during Prohibition and revolves around the antics of Bugsy (likely an homage to real-life Chicago gangster Bugs Moran), a smooth city slicker sweet on would-be singer Blousey Brown. Bugsy ends up helping speakeasy owner and mobster Fat Sam escape from a frame up, but later on learns that Dandy Dan’s mob has “splurged” nearly all of his gang with machine guns filled with silly string (the guns are filled with cream pies in the movie). Eventually, the two gangs square off at Fat Sam’s, where Bugsy and company defend themselves with splurge, cream pies and smoke bombs. Licensed through MTI Shows, the Phoenix Kids production has a cast of about 30 local kids, according to Phoenix artistic director Lee LaChette. Brock
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Marion will play the title character, while Rhiannon Legg will portray Blousey. “Most of the kids, besides the leads, are playing two, three, four parts. They all get their chance to shine,” LaChette said. “They’re having a lot of fun with this one. The music is real catchy. And they’re learning a lot about the 1920s.” The production strives to get all the Roaring Twenties details right, from the Art Deco stage design to the costumes — suits and fedoras for the boys, flapperstyle dresses for the girls. There’s plenty of choreography, and about 12 songs composed by legendary songwriter Paul Williams (who also wrote music for the movie), including “Fat Sam’s Grand Slam,” “Bad Guys” and “My Name is Tallulah.” “There’s lots of music, lots of singing, lots of dancing,” LaChette said. “It’s very
family-oriented, with a lot of toe-tapping numbers. There’s never a dull moment. It’s very well written and very funny. Even the adults will enjoy it.” if you go What: “Bugsy Malone,” presented by Phoenix Kids Where: Phoenix Performing Arts Centre, 409 Main St., Duryea When: March 24-26 and March 31-April 2, with Friday and Saturday shows at 7 p.m. and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. details: Tickets are $10 general admission and $5 for kids 5 and under, and available by prepaid reservation or at the door. For reservations, call the Phoenix box office at 570-457-3589. Doors open 30 minutes before the start of the show.