{"id":142796,"date":"2025-05-28T20:54:23","date_gmt":"2025-05-29T00:54:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/?p=142796"},"modified":"2025-05-28T20:54:23","modified_gmt":"2025-05-29T00:54:23","slug":"ncc-summer-theatre-promises-major-hits-powerful-childrens-show","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/?p=142796","title":{"rendered":"NCC Summer Theatre Promises Major Hits, Powerful Children\u2019s Show"},"content":{"rendered":"

NCC Summer Theatre Promises Major Hits, Powerful Children\u2019s Show<\/strong><\/p>\n

Summer season and new faculty honor legacy and forge new path\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

BETHLEHEM, PA<\/strong>\u00a0–\u00a0The Bill Mutimer Summer Theatre Program will open\u00a0this June, and it will signify a new act for NCC Theatre. It will include major hits, a powerful children\u2019s show, and will also include fresh faces and new energy in leadership to carry the program forward.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis summer is shaping up to be one of our most exciting and dynamic yet,\u201d says\u00a0Alyson Krawchuk<\/strong>, assistant dean of the School of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences.\u00a0<\/strong>\u201cThere is an incredible sense of community, artistry, and purpose driving this season.\u201d<\/p>\n

The season opens with\u00a0Million Dollar Quartet<\/em>, running from June 4-15. Directed by Clair Freeman, the play is based on the once-in-a-lifetime jam session at Sun Records that included Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley, and Johnny Cash. Next up is the sweeping musical,\u00a0Evita<\/em>, running from June 25-July 6. Directed by Argentine native Gustavo Wons, who directed and choreographed NCC\u2019s\u00a0award-winning<\/a>\u00a0production of\u00a0Fiddler on the Roof\u00a0<\/em>last summer,\u00a0Evita\u00a0<\/em>will transport audiences to Buenos Aires to follow the First Lady of Argentina\u2019s rise to fame and popularity among the working class. This year\u2019s children\u2019s show,\u00a0Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed: The Rock Experience<\/em>, running from June 18-July 26, promises a fun and funky exploration of individuality, self-expression, and more. Rounding out the season is the feel-good musical,\u00a0Hairspray<\/em>, running from July 16-27, that will burst with energy and heart while celebrating change, acceptance, and the power of standing up for what\u2019s right.<\/p>\n

With ticket prices at just $25 for adults and $20 for seniors, audiences will experience professional-grade theatre right in their backyard. Summer theatre productions feature current NCC students, along with intern performers and technicians from other colleges, recent college graduates now based in New York City, Actors\u2019 Equity Association (AEA) professional actors with experience on Broadway and in television and film, and local community members.<\/p>\n

To expand accessibility even further, the program is bringing back \u201cpay what you are able\u201d performances (minimum $5). The children\u2019s show will host sensory-friendly performances to create a welcoming environment for all children, including those with sensory sensitivities.<\/p>\n

For patrons ready to make an evening of it, NCC Theatre is partnering with Hampton Winds, NCC\u2019s teaching restaurant, for the Dinner + Theatre experience on select nights. Enjoy a Memphis-inspired menu for\u00a0Million Dollar Quartet<\/em>\u00a0on Thursday, June 5; an Argentinian-inspired menu for\u00a0Evita<\/em>\u00a0on Thursday, June 26; and a \u201850s-inspired menu for\u00a0Hairspray<\/em>\u00a0on Friday, July 25.<\/p>\n

Hairspray<\/em>\u00a0will be directed by\u00a0Darah Donaher<\/strong>, assistant professor of theatre, who joins the faculty this year along with\u00a0Jessica L\u00f3pez-Barkl<\/strong>, assistant professor of theatre. Together, the duo will shepherd NCC\u2019s Theatre Program onward as it continues to heal from the loss of\u00a0Bill Mutimer<\/strong>, professor of theatre and director of the Theatre Program, who passed away suddenly last year.<\/p>\n

The summer theatre series now bears Mutimer\u2019s name thanks to a generous $50,000 gift from Mutimer\u2019s brother and sister-in-law, Jim and Jill Mutimer. The Mutimers\u2019 gift secures program naming for the next 10 years and includes a memorial plaque to be installed in NCC\u2019s Lipkin Theatre. Mutimer launched NCC\u2019s first full summer theatre program in 2017. Since then, the program has become a summer entertainment staple for both the college and local community.<\/p>\n

ullivan, she has over 20 years of experience that has taken her all over the country.<\/p>\n

\u201cBill left an amazing structure and legacy,\u201d adds L\u00f3pez-Barkl. \u201cThe history of each production is diverse, inspiring, and exemplifies the kind of work that emerging artists need to be exposed to in order to prepare them for the industry.\u201d<\/p>\n

Donaher is seeking ways to integrate theatre more fully into the campus and surrounding community and is exploring ways to connect with local high school students to showcase NCC theatre opportunities. L\u00f3pez-Barkl is interested in drawing more NCC students to the theatre, both as participants and patrons, through workshops, master classes, and a performing arts club. She also would like to develop seamless transfer paths with four-year programs and internship opportunities and expand the theatre curriculum to align with current industry trends.<\/p>\n

For more information on summer theatre, and to purchase tickets, visit\u00a0ncctix.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n

About Northampton Community College<\/strong><\/p>\n

With an enduring commitment to the regional communities it serves and a focus on student success, Northampton Community College is an educational institution of extraordinary distinction, earning accolades at the state and national levels for innovative programs, outstanding faculty, and impressive student achievements. It counts among its successful alumni a four-time Pulitzer Prize winner and an Academy Award winning director, as well as a host of CEOs, presidents, and leaders of business and industry. Today, Northampton Community College has locations in Bethlehem, Southside Bethlehem, and Monroe County, serving 30,000 students annually from 53 counties, 42 countries, and 25 states. For more information or to apply, please visit\u00a0northampton.edu<\/a>.\u00a0Follow NCC’s President on X\u00a0@NCCPresDaveRuth<\/a>, and the college on\u00a0LinkedIn<\/a>, Instagram\u00a0@NorthamptonCommCollege<\/a>, TikTok\u00a0@NorthamptonCC<\/a>, and\u00a0Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

NCC Summer Theatre Promises Major Hits, Powerful Children\u2019s Show Summer season and new faculty honor legacy and forge new path\u00a0 BETHLEHEM, PA\u00a0–\u00a0The Bill Mutimer Summer Theatre Program will open\u00a0this June, … Continue reading NCC Summer Theatre Promises Major Hits, Powerful Children\u2019s Show<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":114454,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[69],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-142796","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-in-the-valley"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/nccc.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/142796"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=142796"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/142796\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/114454"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=142796"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=142796"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=142796"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}