Auditions May 20 & 24 for Guilford Plays

Guilford Center Stage announces open auditions for its October premiere of To Their Appointed End: the One-Act Plays of Jean Stewart McLean.  There will be two sessions of auditions: Saturday, May 20, from 10 am to Noon, and Wednesday, May 24, from 6 to 8 pm, at Broad Brook Grange in Guilford.  William Stearns directs the production.

There are a number of roles for men and women from about age 20 and up.  No reservation is needed, and auditioners may arrive anytime during the 2-hour session.  Those trying out may prepare or bring a dramatic reading, or a passage from a play of their choosing, of about one minute in length.   Director Stearns will also have passages from the one-acts available for those who wish to try some dialogue.  Stage helpers are welcome, also.

The production, running October 6-8, will be the fifth production of Guilford Center Stage, which produces two shows each year, and just concluded its spring premiere of Guilford playwright Michael Nethercott’s Our Enemy’s Cup.   The project was founded by Broad Brook Grange in 2015 to use the small proscenium stage at the 1896 Grange.  Plays with a connection to Guilford and to the region have been the focus of the program.

Jean Stewart McLean (1917-1963) was the mother of Guilford Center Stage co-founder Don McLean.  In addition to short fiction, she wrote four one-act plays in the late 1940’s and early 50’s, none of which has previously been staged.  The plays range from a short drama to a pair of comedies, and are being presented in commemoration of the centenary of the playwright’s birth.

For more information call 802-257-1961 or e-mail <inscapevt@myfairpoint.net>.

Mothers Day Brunch at Grange

Broad Brook Grange will present its 21st annual Mother’s Day Brunch on Sunday, May 14, from 7:00 am to 1:00 pm at the Grange hall in Guilford Center.  The proceeds from the event support maintenance of the historic building.

The all-you-can-eat brunch features eggs and omelettes, any style, made to order.  Also on the menu are  pancakes, French toast, sausage, bacon and home fries, with Guilford maple syrup.  Other treats include home-baked coffee cakes and other baked goods, fresh fruit salad, and bread for toasting.  A selection of juices will be available, along with coffee, teas and milk.

The Grange hall serves as a community center for Guilford, hosting meetings, General Election polling, The Guilford Food Pantry every Thursday, Green-Up Day, and the theater project, Guilford Center Stage.  The organization also provides an annual scholarship to a college-bound Guilford student — to be given at BUHS Senior Awards Night this week — and a dictionary to every 3rd grader at Guilford Central School.

No reservations are necessary for the meal, which is priced at $12 for adults; $10 for seniors, and $5 for ages 2-12. Kids under two are free.

This event is the first of two brunches for 2017, with the Father’s Day event to follow in June. Broad Brook Grange is at 3940 Guilford Center Road, 4 miles west of the Guilford Country Store.  For more information, call (802) 257-1961.