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NO. R-310. JOINT RESOLUTION CONGRATULATING THE
OLDCASTLE THEATRE COMPANY OF BENNINGTON.
(J.R.S. 120)
Offered by: Senator Sears of Bennington County and Senator Morrissey of
Bennington County.
Whereas, in 1972, five talented young New York-based thespians, Paul
Falzone, Gary Alan Poe, Norrine Phillips, Joe Warik and Eric Peterson, formed
an itinerant theater company to present performances of great drama and
comedy to eager audiences beyond the confines of Manhattan’s “Great White
Way,” and
Whereas, originally organized as the “Pauper Players,” these talented actors
quickly decided, after performing their initial production, “The Hollow
Crown,” to adopt a less realistically-descriptive name, and settled on the
“Oldcastle Theatre Company,” in honor of Sir John Oldcastle, the real-life
model for Shakespeare’s character Sir John Falstaff, and
Whereas, in 1977, after touring for five years, the members of the Oldcastle
Theatre Company, growing weary from their constant travel, decided to
establish a permanent home in Bennington where the company had performed
before enthusiastic and appreciative audiences, and
Whereas, the campus of Southern Vermont College was selected as the
Oldcastle Theatre Company’s new headquarters and continued to host the
company until the opening of the magnificent Bennington Center for the Arts
in 1994, and
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NO. R-310
Page 2
Whereas, since the curtain first rose on this now-venerable repertory
ensemble, the Oldcastle Theatre Company has staged 182 productions of 175
plays, featuring a diverse menu of theatrical performances from Shakespeare’s
comedy, “As You Like It”, to Thornton Wilder’s classic drama, “Our Town,”
and
Whereas, beyond the Oldcastle Theatre Company’s 2002 season of six
exciting and compelling presentations, the company has now established an
outstanding education program, including special daytime performances for
school children, student internships, and a “First Day Program” for area middle
school students, which enables the participants to develop spontaneous
sketches based on the joys and fears of starting a new school year, and
Whereas, under the brilliant direction of producing artistic director Eric
Peterson, the Oldcastle Theatre Company is looking forward to continuing the
innovative theatrical fare for which the company has been praised, now
therefore be it
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives:
That the General Assembly congratulates the Oldcastle Theatre Company
on its 30th anniversary and extends best wishes for future success, and be it
further
Resolved: That the Secretary of State be directed to send a copy of this
resolution to Eric Peterson at the Oldcastle Theatre Company in Bennington.
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