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Genesius Presents Extraordinary Rock Musical Spring Awakening

Genesius Theatre
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Genesius Presents Extraordinary Rock Musical Spring Awakening

Genesius Theatre presents Spring Awakening, an extraordinary rock musical with book and lyrics by Steven Sater and music by Grammy Award-nominated recording artist Duncan Sheik. Inspired by Frank Wedekind’s controversial 1891 play about teenage sexuality and society’s efforts to control it, the piece seamlessly merges past and present, underscoring the timelessness of adolescent angst and the universality of human passion.

The winner of eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical, is what Entertainment Weekly called, “the most gorgeous Broadway score this decade,” Spring Awakening explores the journey from adolescence to adulthood with a poignancy and passion that is illuminating and unforgettable. The landmark musical is an electrifying fusion of morality, sexuality and rock and roll that is exhilarating audiences across the nation like no other musical in years.

It is Germany, 1891, a world where the grown-ups hold all the cards. The beautiful young Wendla explores the mysteries of her body and wonders aloud where babies come from… until Mama tells her to shut it and put on a proper dress. Elsewhere, the brilliant and fearless young Melchior interrupts a mind-numbing Latin drill to defend his buddy, Moritz – a boy so traumatized by puberty that he can’t concentrate on anything… not that the Headmaster cares. He strikes them both and tells them to turn in their lesson.

Danielle Pflum, Yarilin Chimelis, Andrea Keck, Cecilia Cooper, Gabrielle Lewis, Kayla Brooks, Sarah Lala
in the Genesius Production of the hit rock musical SPRING AWAKENING!

One afternoon, in a private place in the woods, Melchior and Wendla meet by accident and soon find within themselves a desire unlike anything they’ve ever felt. As they fumble their way into one another’s arms, Moritz flounders and soon fails out of school. Join this group of late nineteenth century German students on their passage as they navigate teenage self-discovery and coming of age anxiety in a powerful celebration of youth and rebellion in the daring, remarkable Spring Awakening.

The Genesius production is directed by Genesius Artistic Director, L J Fecho, music directed by Kevin Cooper, choreographed by Julian Morales, (Choreographer Assistants – Jericho Joy and Sophie Xiong) with a set design by Zack Spadaccia, light design by Zack Spadaccia & Spencer Moss Fecho, projections by David Neel of Production Solutions, costume design by Dara Himes, hair/makeup design by, Carmen Painter of Tina’s Salon and Say Spa, sound design by Albert Garcia of Eko Entertainment, LLC. The set is constructed by Mike Maiers, Brandon Kegerise and Betty Gerstner, with scenic art by Marjory Ewald, Kaitlyn Reber and Jessica Reber. The show is stage managed by our teen stage manager, Kelsey Malone.

The Genesius production features an ensemble cast of fifteen super talented young actors and two adults. The leading characters are: Bo Irwin as Melchior, James Haggerty as Moritz, Cecilia Cooper as Wendla, Gabrielle Lewis as Ilse, Ryan Cunningham as Georg, Alan Cid as Hanschen, Yarilin Chimelis as Martha, Andrea Keck as Thea, Andrew Bausher as Ernst, Daniel Graf as Otto, Kayla Brooks as Anna. All the Adult Roles are played by Cathy Miller and Jordan Baylor and there is a small added ensemble including, Sarah Lala, Danielle Pflum, Josh Klusewitz and Nick Schmoyer.

Reading Regional Airport Provides Tips on Drone Safety

Reading Magazine
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Reading Regional Airport Provides Tips on Drone Safety

This past week the Reading Regional Airport held a Drone Safety presentation to educate the public on the proper way to operate unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). Both hobbyist and commercial drone operators attended, some traveling from as far away as the Lehigh Valley and Chester County. Held in the terminal building, the two hour presentation was hosted by Zack Tempesco, Director of Operations for the airport, and John Fries of 610drone.com.

For those who didn’t attend the presentation, here is the run down. All users, recreational or commercial, must register their drones with the FAA, the cost is $5 (Toy drones under .55 lbs are exempt). Drones should be flown at or below 400 feet and must be within your line of sight. Operators must be aware of FAA airspace restrictions in the area they fly.

A few no-no’s include never flying near aircraft, (You must notify the tower if you fly within 5 miles of airport), never fly over groups of people, public events, or stadiums full of people. Don’t fly near emergencies such as fires or storm recovery efforts, and (this should be obvious) never fly under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

All of this seems restrictive right, you just bough it at Walmart… No matter where you purchased your drone, or how much you spent, Tempesco suggests the best place to start is joining a local model aircraft club. Clubs are for more than fixed wing model airplanes. Tempesco says many local clubs in Berks have drone flyers and are more than willing to help you learn the ropes.

John Fries of 610drone.com speaks about drone safety.

For commercial or business operators like Fries, there is a similar, but different set of rules, known in the industry as Part 107. Commercial operators need to pass a knowledge test at an FAA Testing Center. You can learn more here: faa.gov/part107. Fries also mentioned during the presentation that flying commercially doesn’t always mean a transfer of cash. Anything not for recreational use, aka for fun, is considered commercial. The example given was: If your a Real Estate Agent who bought a drone for your own use to photograph your listings, its still considered commercial use.

As they say there’s an app for that. With the B4UFLY app you can check everything before you get started. Features include a planner for future flights in different locations, interactive maps with filtering options, and other FAA drone regulatory information. B4UFLY is available for free in the App Store and Google Play store.

Besides the app, another resource to check out is knowbeforeyoufly.org. Setup as an educational resource website founded by the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) and the Academy of Model Aeronautics. The goal is to educate drone users about safety and current regulations.

Bill Pugh: M. Night Shyamalan’s Glass Features Local Actor

Jason Hugg
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Bill Pugh: M. Night Shyamalan’s Glass Features Local Actor

I sat down with local actor and small business owner Bill Pugh to learn about his role in M. Night Shyamalan’s latest film Glass. A semi-sequel to Unbreakable (2000) and Split (2016), Glass stars James McAvoy, Bruce Willis, and Samuel L. Jackson.

Pugh began his acting career in the 90’s. With roles in Sex and the City, Law and Order, The Benefactor, and Mona Lisa Smiles. He has worked hard to build his film resume. Over the year’s Pugh has mainly focused on stunts. Pugh now manages his own Martial Arts Studio, works in construction and a few times a year holds seminars on how to break into the film industry by learning stunt acting.

For Glass, Pugh played two roles, a SWAT team member and a security guards. As a security guard he was dragged on the ground, at the end of the film by “the beast” James McAvoy’s character.

“What I like about M. Night Shyamalan is that he tries to film most of his movies inside Pennsylvania. What’s great about it, keeps the region acting, helps with tax credits, and it keeps it home.” said Pugh.

Showing off photos from the set Pugh recalls his time on set with the lead actors of the film. “Just to see James McAvoy go from one personality to another, in person, was neat. We had lunch with him. He was very approachable, but he was there to work.” said pugh.

He also described the amount of motion on the set, from food services, wardrobe, to set designers, Pugh said it was a whirlwind of activity. “With overhead cranes on set, there’s a lot of technology that’s involved, but very professional.” says Pugh.

On set Pugh says he got to work with M. Night Shyamalan and the stunt director. “Yes, I’m trying to work and get a paycheck, but I’m trying to see how I can do stuff better, camera angles, etc” says Pugh. For each film Pugh is in, he says is goal is to learn something new and network with other actors.

Local Boy on a Mission to Help the Homeless

Reading Magazine
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Local Boy on a Mission to Help the Homeless

Leo Giandomenico has always been a curious kid. Like any six year old he enjoys playing sports, LEGO’s and going to the beach. Taking a family trip to the big apple last Spring changed the way Leo thought of the world. He saw people on the street asking for money. Naturally curious he asked his mother, Alli, what they were doing.

His mother told little Leo that they were homeless, and were asking people for money to help themselves live a better life. This resonated with him, as he couldn’t understand why people don’t have a place to live.

Back home in Reading, Leo would see panhandlers from out of his family’s car window. Figuring this was the best way he could help, he would ask his mother to give them money. Then one day Leo had an idea. Instead of waiting to see them, he should start collecting money in a cup. Encouraging his philanthropic behavior, his mother placed the cup on their kitchen island.

“He’s been collecting money for about 6 months, every time someone comes over they’ll put change or cash in to help” says Alli. Money has been placed in the cup by family friends, relatives, and out of his own piggy bank. Overall Leo has collected $75.

Opportunity House

“Leo always wanted to give his money to the homeless, but when he first started none of us made specific plans on where it would go.” said Alli. That all changed when her friend announced she was looking for volunteers to help serve food at the Opportunity House.

Alli’s friend was local entrepreneur Heather Brady, founder of the Do It Local App. She not only thought it would be the perfect time for her son to give his cup of money to a worthy cause, but also help prepare dinner.

Serving pasta, green beans, and buttered bread, Leo join the six person Do It Local crew in the kitchen. Helping on the assembly line of plates, he carried the completed ones to the serving counter.

At the end of the night, Leo made his way to the front to personally hand over his collected money to the Opportunity House staff. Damien Strong was there to receive it and offer his thanks.

Celebrating the Fabric of America From a Woman’s Perspective

Reading Magazine
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Celebrating the Fabric of America From a Woman’s Perspective

The Miller Gallery at Alvernia University unveiled its latest exhibit Tuesday titled Celebrating the Fabric of America From a Woman’s Perspective. Located in Francis Hall, the gallery features oil paintings by local artist Michele Byrne.

All about unity, equality, and diversity, Byrne’s work showcases women from all different backgrounds. Each painting is also joined by a ribbon, signifying the connection between them. “It shows how we are all just a small thread to this big human tapestry” says Bryne.

Byrne began the project last August and as she says “painting like a maniac” to have everything completed. Of the 16 paintings, 14 are models Byrne selected and 2 are of herself.

“My goal is to explore the complex and loosely woven intricacies of the fabric of American women. I hope to reveal and honor culture semblance through impressionistic portraits.”

In addition to the gallery, Byrne is looking to continue her work by giving other women the opportunity to model and be seen in other areas. Michele Byrne’s Celebrating the Fabric of America From a Woman’s Perspective is on display at Alvernia University’s Miller Gallery from January 14 – February 8.

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