FALL RIVER — A marathon of local performance art is coming to the stage for the weekend of Feb. 8.
The Youth Musical Theatre Corporation will be presenting showings of "Guys and Dolls," and "Alice in Wonderland" with morning, afternoon and evening showings throughout the weekend at Bristol Community College’s Margaret L. Jackson Art Center.
YMTC is devastated by the death of one of its actors, Javen Haskett, and has dedicated all of these performances to his memory. "Our hearts are broken but with the strength of his spirit we will be continuing on with the shows," YMTC said in a statement.
This year, the winter shows will be kicked by off by a special production put on in partnership with the Spectrum Empowerment Project. This new collaboration primarily focuses of empowering individuals with autism by providing opportunities for economic independence, social growth and creative expression.
"Alice in Wonderland" is a classic story of a young girl who falls through a rabbit hole into a fantasy world populated by peculiar creatures. Come spend some time with lovable characters like Alice, the White Rabbit, Caterpillar, The Mad Hatter, The Queen of Hearts, the Cheshire Cat and many more.
"Guys and Dolls" was the “Hamilton” of its time. Set in the 1930s, it features a colorful cast of gangsters, gamblers, dancers and all sorts of characters of the New York underworld. The cast includes some of the best local talent and the production promises to be something special.
For tickets, call 774-488-3723 or visit www.YMTC.ORG. Doors open 30 minutes before showtime and tickets will be available at the box office before each show.
YMTC has grown over the years and these productions feature over 100 actors of varying ages, backgrounds and abilities. Many of the instructors and directors are former actors in YMTC productions who felt a strong connection to the people and the program. It is because of this strong foundation of community-building that YMTC's success has been recognized by local businesses who have donated to the program, and prestigious arts organizations such as the Fall River Cultural Council. The Fall River Cultural Council recently awarded YMTC with a grant for partial funding of these productions.