Based in Colchester, Vermont, The Colchester Theatre Company is a High School Theatre troupe that has been nominated and awarded with various awards symbolizing their talent, effort, and commitment. This company proudly announces its 27th year (as of 2004) under the direction of founder John Coon .

Under John Coon's direction, the Colchester Theatre Company has fallen into a tradition of performing four shows each year. The fall and spring performances are large, multiple-act plays - such as "Little Shop Of Horrors" in the fall of 2002 or "Dracula" in the spring of 2004. Both of the other two shows are one-act plays, the first performed for the Colchester Winter Carnival and the second for the One-Act Festival . The play performed for the Winter Carnival is usually lighter fare than the One-Act Festival show - 2005 saw a performance of a medley of songs from Broadway musicals - while the One-Act Festival is often (though not strictly always) heavier material, such as Sartre's No Exit in 2005.

When the Theatre Company does perform musicals, they are only in the Fall, since many of the school's vocalists (and the music educator) tend to get tied up with various music festivals during the Spring.

A basic concept applied in the structure of the Colchester Theatre Company is that of ensemble. Casting is based on the way that people interact as the characters in the audition and not on the director's preference of one person over another. There is no distinguishing line between actors and 'techies' (those who do technical theatre work, such as handling props, costumes, lighting, special effects, or sound). Those who do not get parts after auditions are encouraged but not required to perform tech jobs for the show being performed.

The Colchester Theatre Company also annually puts on a Haunted Forest on the night before Halloween (commonly known as cabbage night , sponsored by the Colchester Police department - a no-charge event that has, according to the police department, greatly reduced the number of typical cabbage night crimes.

As of 2001 (needs double-checking), the Colchester Theatre Company has hosted an annual non-competitive One-Act Festival called the Champlain Theatre Experience , under the joint guidance of John Coon of Colchester High School and Rod Ross of Winooski High School.

External Link

Colchester Theatre Company website