| A Brief History NORTH SHORE THEATRE GROUP (NSTG) is a local off-shoot of NEW YORK ARTISTS THEATRE COMPANY (NYATC), which was founded in March, 2000 as a collective of theatre artists. Its first production, August Strindberg's Miss Julie, opened in New York City at Manhattan's Theatre 22 and ran successfully for two weeks in August. NYATC was thrilled with the success of their first endeavor, and based on the great feedback the company received from Long Island residents, founders Greg Bodine and Carrie Piccard vigorously pursued the idea of making theatre more accessible to audiences on suburban Long Island. In December, 2000, NYATC made good on its promise: the company's next project, Three For The Tree: A Festive Evening of One-Acts, was a hit with North Shore residents. It ran eight performances for two weeks and was sponsored by the local chapter of the Free & Accepted Masons, a fraternal organization dedicated to the betterment of the community. The evening of festive vignettes featured three holiday-themed plays -- Christmas Spirit, a ribald, urban comedy by John Patrick, Christmas: 1933, a sentimental memory play by Larry L. King, and The Thieves Who Couldn't Help Sneezing, written by Thomas Hardy and adapted for the stage by Greg Bodine. NSTG was founded in November, 2001 and in January 2002, the company launched its popular Whodunit Mystery Reading Series at selected area bookshops and libraries on Long Island to raise reading awareness in Nassau and Suffolk Counties. In May 2002, we presented our inaugural stage production of Barrymore�s Ghost in Oyster Bay. The play proved to be affordable for local residents and also served as a source of professional experience for several aspiring Nassau County theatre artists. Business, patron and community response to/support of our production was very positive. In December 2003, we presented our free production of A Christmas Carol at Christ Church Parish Hall and the Oyster Bay-East Norwich Public Library, including a special matinee performance at the Doubleday Babcock Senior Center for Nassau County seniors unable to drive or without transportation. For this production, North Shore Theatre Group was awarded a distinguished NGA Grant for its contribution to the arts in Nassau County. The award was made possible, in part, with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts' Decentralization Program, administered by the Long Island Arts Council at Freeport. Now in its fifth year, NYATC continues to dedicate itself to making classic and new plays accessible to New York City residents. North Shore Theatre Group, its direct descendant, continues to provide work and a collaborative environment for emerging local artists on Long Island. |
| NORTH SHORE THEATRE GROUP |
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