HOME
BUY TICKETS
SUPPORT US
CALENDAR
 
ccp logo
Photo of the Old Hose House

WELCOME!

Welcome to the website of Colonial Chorus Players. Please explore the site to learn more about us, what we do, and how to join us in our mission of providing quality theatrical entertainment and educating people of all ages in the theater arts.


NEWS & EVENTS



Amazon logo
Amazon Wish List for Hose House
Ongoing

We're in the process of giving our beloved Old Hose House a makeover—and we need your help finishing our To Do list!

gala image

Follow Us on Facebook



JOIN OUR MAILING LIST




×

Accidentally on Purpose

Just when you thought it was safe to go back to the Hose House, Accidentally on Purpose makes their return Saturday, August 13, for an evening of wild and unpredictable improv comedy! Featuring our own Heather Hamilton!

This joint fundraiser with CCP begins at 7:30 PM. Doors open at 7 PM. Tickets $20 at door—cash only.

Please note: CCP currently requires audience members to wear masks inside the Hose House. Policy subject to change.

Accidentally on Purpose’s comedy style is similar to the hit TV show Whose Line Is It Anyway? with lots of audience interaction. Due to its improvisational nature, things can get a little R-rated. Don’t say we didn’t warn you!



×

SWEET CHAIRITY FUNDRAISER

Hey, Big Spender! Have you spent a little time with us?

We’d love to replace the current Hose House seating with comfy, spacious, padded new chairs, which is why we’re starting up our Sweet Chairity Fundraiser.

We’re hoping to purchase a total of 70 chairs at the cost of roughly $90 per chair, which includes delivery.
Any amount is welcome and appreciated! For example, you can sponsor one leg of a chair for $22.50.

Three Easy Ways to Donate:

  1. Venmo @ColonialChorusPlayers. Please enter Chairs in the “What’s It For?” field.
  2. Use the PayPal link on our SUPPORT US page.
  3. Send a check made out to Colonial Chorus Players to:

    Colonial Chorus Players
    Attention: Chairs
    P.O. Box 443
    Reading, MA 01867

    Please include an email address on your check so we can acknowledge your donation.
We’ll continue the fundraiser throughout 2023 until we have enough funds to purchase all 70 chairs at once.

Remember: Because CCP is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit, organization, every dollar you donate is tax deductible.

And next time you’re at the Hose House, be sure to try out the model chair! Thanks for your continued support of CCP!

×

AS SHE LIKES IT

Cast of 'As She Likes It'

“The Shrew Must Go On” by Lori M. Myers
Melanie Gold . . . . Kayla Clegg
Katherine/Kate . . . . June Dever
Harry . . . . Jack Croughwell

“A Woman’s Battle” by Sean Adams
Cassandra . . . . Ivy Ho
Andromache . . . . Jennifer Hurley
Helen . . . . Trisha Barungi
Hecuba . . . . Michelle Leibowitz

“Another Conversation” by Marjorie Bicknell
Queen Gertrude . . . . Kris Reynolds
Ophelia . . . . TBA
“Beatriz . . . If You Speak of Love” by David Nice
Beatriz . . . . TBA
Yolanda . . . . TBA

“The Lear Sisters” by Sue Lange
Claudia . . . . TBA
Reenie . . . . Kayla Clegg
Gordy . . . . Jennifer Hurley
“Haircuts” by Barbara Trainin Blank
Anne Boleyn . . . . June Dever
Isabella . . . . Ivy Ho

“The Nurse’s Rebellion” by Sandra Fenichel Asher
Juliet . . . . Trisha Barungi
Nurse . . . . Michelle Leibowitz
Lady Capulet . . . . Kris Reynolds
Shakespeare . . . . Jack Croughwell

"We had excellent talent come to audition for this show and I'm very excited about the cast we've put together,” says director Krisha Hoyt-Mackler. “I'm looking forward to working with these skilled and mindful actors to bring you an amazing show!”

×

ARTS READING'S DISCOVER THE ARTS DAY

October 14, 2023
10 AM–2 PM
Reading Town Common

Everyone is welcome to attend this fun and rewarding event that celebrates the arts in Reading! Now in its fifth year, this day highlights Arts Reading members, businesses, and associates with tables to share their worthwhile artistic attributes with you. Various performers on stage will bring you some of the most noted talents in the community and in the area!

Participants:

  • Colonial Chorus Players
  • Reading Community Concert Band
  • Woburn Guild of Artists
  • Reading Public Library
  • Reading Community Singers
  • M & B Fun (Face Painting and Balloon Animals)
  • First Congregational Church of Reading
  • Reading Symphony Orchestra
  • Creative Arts for Kids
  • Nimble Thimblers
  • Reading Police Department
  • Communitas
  • Reading Historical Commission
  • Corbett Fine Art
Raindate: Sunday, October 15, 1–5 PM
×

READING FALL STREET FAIRE

This is a wildly popular downtown event that brings together local restaurants, retail businesses, and community groups for a fun-filled, family-friendly day. During the day, hundreds of visitors enjoy great food, live entertainment, games, a beer garden, a corn-hole tournament, inflatables, and more than 100 vendor and community group booths.

CCP will take part in the faire this year on September 10. Drop by our booth to say hello, or volunteer an hour or two from noon to 5 PM. We’ll have info on CCP, giveaways, and a photo opp with Cinderella’s throne. To volunteer, contact public relations chair Carla Perrotta at publicrelations@ccp1961.org.

×

ACCIDENTALLY ON PURPOSE

Buckle up, folks—you’re in for a wild ride! Our favorite improv troupe Accidentally On Purpose is returning to the Old Hose House Saturday, February 24, at 7:30 PM for an evening of unpredictable comedy!

Tickets are $20 at the door with cash, check, or Venmo only. Doors open at 7 PM. All proceeds benefit Colonial Chorus Players.

Accidentally On Purpose’s comedy style is similar to the hit TV show Whose Line Is It Anyway? with lots of audience interaction. Due to its improvisational nature, things can get a little R-rated. Check out this sizzle reel to see what you're in for! Don’t say we didn’t warn you!

Spontaneous, entertaining, and fun, Accidentally On Purpose (AOP) has an eclectic cast of professionals whose day jobs include author, teacher, tradesman, salesperson, and corporate executive that have been laughing together for over a decade.

×

Musical Theater Dance Workshops

Join Jan Gallagher for a fun and friendly class designed to prepare you to shine at your next audition. All levels welcome—Jan can teach anyone to dance!

DATES & TIMES:
Tuesdays June 6–July 18 [no class July 4]

  • 7–7:55 PM Adult Beginner/Intermediate Tap—Slower paced for those with basic tap skills but with modifications offered to challenge more experienced tappers.
  • 8–8:55 PM Ensemble Movement/Jazz—Learn how to shine in the ensemble by incorporating creative and expressive movement skills into your dancing and by learning popular jazz steps and patterns.
LOCATION:
The Old Hose House
1249 Main Street, Reading

RATES FOR 6-WEEK PACKAGE:
  • $75/one class [CCP members $60]
  • $150/two classes [CCP members $120]
RATES FOR DROP-INS:
  • Drop-in $15/class [CCP members $12/class]
Drop-ins welcome day of class. Text Jan at 978-808-9527 to reserve your spot ahead of time. Payment must be made at door via cash or Venmo @Jan-Gallagher-2. Become a member of Colonial Chorus Players for $25/year and save!

WORKSHOP SIGNUP & PAYMENT:
Email jangallagher222@gmail.com to sign up.
Make payment in one of two ways:
  1. Venmo payment to @Jan-Gallagher-2 and enter "CCP Dance" in comments.
  2. Send check made out to "Jan Gallagher" to Jan Gallagher, 222 Riverneck Road, Chelmsford, MA 01824.
MEMBERSHIP SIGNUP & PAYMENT:
To become a member of CCP for $25/year, go to the GET INVOLVED page on our website.



×

HOSE HOUSE WORK DAY

It’s time to do some Spring cleaning at the Hose House! All friends of CCP are invited to join us for our annual Work Day Saturday, May 20, anytime from 10 AM to 3 PM.

Outside we’ll be picking up debris, weed whacking, and leaf blowing.

Inside we’ll be giving the rehearsal space, bathrooms, and back room a thorough cleaning. Plus, we’ll be sorting, cleaning, and organizing all props in our Props Department!

We’ll also be collecting scrap metal, so feel free to bring whatever you want to get rid of from home.

BRING:

  • rakes
  • weed whacker
  • leaf blower
  • clippers
  • work gloves
  • cleaning products
  • sponges/rags
  • Swiffers/mops
  • brooms
  • vacuum cleaner
  • water

Please email Hose House chair Fred Gallagher at HoseHouse@ccp1961.org to let him know you’re coming.



×

PAINT NIGHT FUNDRAISER

We’re overjoyed to announce that for the first time since 2019 we are back at Tin Bucket in Reading for our annual Paint Night fundraiser!

Join us Wednesday, May 31, from 7–9 PM at Tin Bucket, 12 Woburn Street, Reading. Bring friends or come make new ones—and leave with an original work of art created by YOU!

No experience necessary—anyone can paint. As Bob Ross would say, “There are no mistakes, just happy accidents."

Cost is $45 per person. Tin Bucket supplies all the materials and tools and donates part of the proceeds back to CCP. If you want, bring snacks and beverages to share. Wine is always welcome.

Space is limited to about 20 people, so get your ticket now at https://www.tinbucketshop.com/event-details/colonial-chorus-paint-night-fundraiser-private-event



×

ASSASSINS

For the second show in our 2023–2024 season, we’re turning to Stephen Sondheim and his bold, original, disturbing, and alarmingly funny musical Assassins.

In this musical, the most notorious Presidential assassins (or would-be assassins)—John Wilkes Booth, Lee Harvey Oswald, Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme, John Hinckley, Jr., and others—gather on stage in a panoramic story about our national obsession with celebrity and the violent means some will use to obtain it.

Assassins will run February 2–10, 2024, at the Old Hose House in Reading. Produced by Amy Oldenquist and Heather Rotondi.



×

SISTER ACT

Hallelujah! Sister Mary Clarence and the Holy Order of the Little Sisters of Our Mother of Perpetual Faith will be gracing the Colonial Chorus Players’ stage for the first time as we present the feel-good musical comedy Sister Act as part of our 2023–2024 season!

Featuring original music by Alan Menken (Newsies, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast), this uplifting musical was nominated for five Tony Awards including Best Musical when it first hit Broadway. Filled with soaring gospel music, glorious dancing, and a truly moving story, Sister Act is a reason to rejoice! Coming in May 2024.



×

MURDERERS & MAYHEM: A CABARET FUNDRAISER

MURDERERS & MAYHEM: A CABARET FUNDRAISER

Join us for an evening of music and mayhem at this cabaret featuring infamous songs from Sweeney Todd, Les Misérables, Chicago, and other killer Broadway shows. Proceeds benefit CCP's February production of Assassins.

DATE/TIME:
Thursday, January 25, 2024
7 PM
Doors open 6:30 PM

LOCATION:
Old Hose House Theater
1249 Main Street
Reading, MA

TICKETS:
$20 General Admission
Advance tickets available on TicketStage.
Available at the door for cash, check, or Venmo only.

UPDATED LIST OF PERFORMERS:
Adrianna Crockett-Sears
Christopher Crockett-Sears
Chris Dearbeck
Jess Dearbeck
Michelle Doucet
Lori Duxbury
Robb Laureles
Courtney Liscio
Amy Oldenquist
Heather Rotondi
Stephen Rotondi
Declan Geoffrion Scannell
Milo Wiston
Sarah Wolman



×

Trivia Night Fundraiser

poster



×

AMAZON WISH LIST

We're in the process of giving our beloved Old Hose House a makeover! All summer we've been working on repainting, reorganizing, and redecorating inside—and our work will continue into the fall. Outside, we’ve painted lines for parking spaces and put up a new flagpole, and we're hoping to hang a historic plaque to celebrate our status as a property on the National Register of Historic Places.

If you’d like to contribute to our efforts, please consider purchasing an item on our Amazon Wish List. Because we are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, all donations are tax deductible. Please note: All items will be shipped to the home of our Hose House Chair, Scott Estabrooks, because the Hose House itself is unoccupied during the day. Thank you!



×

Tick, Tick… Boom! Auditions

Music and Lyrics by Frank Loesser
Book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows
Directed by Andrew Rhodes
Musical Direction by Shawn Gelzleichter
Choreography by Lindsey McGovern
Produced by Fred Gallagher and Heather Hamilton
Guys and Dolls is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI.

  • All cast, crew, and creative team members must be fully vaccinated in order to participate in a CCP production. Masks will be worn during rehearsals with the intention of performing without masks.
  • Masks must be worn at all times while inside the Hose House.
  • Audience members must wear masks during performances.

As you know, the COVID situation is constantly evolving. We’ll revisit the policy as appropriate, but in the meantime, we appreciate your time and commitment to keeping our community and team members safe.

Best,
CCP Executive Board
August 29, 2021



×

Guys and Dolls Auditions

Colonial Chorus Players announces auditions for
GUYS AND DOLLS
Music and Lyrics by Frank Loesser
Book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows
Directed by Andrew Rhodes
Musical Direction by Shawn Gelzleichter
Choreography by Lindsey McGovern
Produced by Fred Gallagher and Heather Hamilton
Guys and Dolls is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI).
All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI.

SYNOPSIS
Set in the Manhattan of Damon Runyon’s short stories, Guys and Dolls is a musical romantic comedy about high-rolling gamblers Nathan Detroit and Sky Masterson and the beleaguered women in their lives, nightclub performer Adelaide and straight-laced missionary Sarah Brown. Guys and Dolls takes us from the bustle of Times Square to the dance clubs of Havana as it demonstrates the great lengths to which a guy will go when he truly falls in love with a “doll.”

PRODUCTION DATES
May 13, 2022 @ 7:30 PM
May 14, 2022 @ 7:30 PM
May 15, 2022 @ 2 PM

LOCATION
Auditions and rehearsals at
the Old Hose House, 1249 Main Street, Reading, MA.
Performances at Parker Middle School, 45 Temple Street, Reading, MA.

CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS
All roles are open to inclusive casting to all ethnicities, races, genders, sexual orientations, and abilities.
  • Nathan Detroit (lead, male, F5–D4, age 35–45): A good-hearted gambler and craps game organizer who could never hit the big time. Loves Adelaide but can’t commit.
  • Male ensemble (ages 16+, should sing well): Crap Shooters, Liver Lips Louie, Waiters, Sightseers, Mission Band members (Calvin)
  • Hot Box Girl dancers (ages 16+, should sing and dance well)
  • Female ensemble (ages 16+, should sing well): Mission Band members (Agatha, Martha), Sightseers
AUDITION DATES & SIGNUP
Please note that two separate auditions will be held: One for Hot Box Girl dancers and female ensemble only, and the other for Nathan Detroit and male ensemble members only. Sign up for the appropriate audition and arrive 15 minutes beforehand to complete any necessary forms. Auditions will be done as a group, so plan on staying for the entire time. Sorry, we cannot accommodate walk-ins, but last-minute signups are acceptable.
  • Tuesday, February 1 @ 7 PM for Hot Box Girl dancers and female ensemble (e.g. Mission Band members, Sightseers)
  • Wednesday, February 2 @ 7 PM for Nathan Detroit and male ensemble (e.g. Crap Shooters, Liver Lips Louie, Waiters, Mission Band members, Calvin, Sightseers)
Link to Signup Genius

CCP COVID POLICY (subject to updates)
  • All cast, crew, and creative team members must be fully vaccinated in order to participate in a CCP production. Masks will be worn during rehearsals with the intention of performing without masks.
  • Masks must be worn at all times during rehearsals unless actively singing.
  • Audience members must wear masks during performances.
AUDITION PREPARATION
Auditions will consist of vocals plus choreography for Hot Box Girls. Please prepare 32 measures of a song and bring sheet music for the accompanist. Actors are encouraged to sing a song that is close to the style of the show, but should feel free to use one that best demonstrates their vocal ability. For the choreography portion, the choreographer will teach a short routine to the group and then in smaller groups everyone will perform the choreography. Wear comfortable clothes and shoes for dancing.

Please bring a completed Audition Form, Rehearsal Conflicts Calendar, and a headshot and résumé if you have them.

AUDITION FORM
Please print and fill out our Audition Form and bring it with you to your audition.

REHEARSAL SCHEDULE
Rehearsals will be based on availability of the cast and will likely be held two to three days a week. Please note that not all cast members are called to all rehearsals. Rehearsals begin in early March. Please print the Rehearsal Conflicts Calendar, fill out all your conflicts for March, April, and May, and bring it with you to your audition.

CAST OFFERS
Following auditions you will be contacted via phone no later than Thursday, February 3, 2022, and will have 24 hours to accept your role if offered one.

FINANCIAL COMMITMENT
Adult cast members must pay a production fee of $40 and also become a member of Colonial Chorus Players by paying annual dues of $25. Teens must pay a production fee of $25. Additionally, all cast members agree to sell a minimum of $50 of advertisements for the show program and at least 10 tickets.

CORI BACKGROUND CHECK
If we have teens under age 18 in the cast, all adult cast members and production team members will complete a CORI background check.

CCP GENERAL POLICIES
This document contains general policies and expectations for all productions of Colonial Chorus Players. Please read before auditioning. Copies will also be available at auditions.

QUESTIONS?
Contact producers Fred Gallagher at frddg3@comcast.net or Heather Hamilton at hamilton.heather67@gmail.com