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Arts & Entertainment

Resident Forms Comedy and Theater Group for SPF

Triskelion Theater Company holds open auditions for actors young and old on Saturday.

For years, theater-lovers in Scotch Plains and Fanwood have had to look to Newark’s NJPAC or New York City to indulge their cravings for drama, improvisational comedy and musicals. Scotch Plains resident Richard Johnson believes the time has come to bring theater closer to home for those that will enjoy it most. Though Johnson has no desire to compete with the likes of NJPAC and shows in the city he is keen on uniting local artists to present quality performances that young and old can relate to and enjoy. 

The focal point of his work is the newly-created Triskelion Theatre Company. 

“Unlike many other arts programs around New Jersey, the goal of Triskelion is not to get people to appreciate the performance but rather to make the performance accessible to all,” Johnson said. “We know the interest exists, we aim to supply the demand.”

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To get the group off the ground, Johnson and a few others put on a show last May in the All Saints Church on Park Avenue in Scotch Plains. Titled “Fancy Footwork,” Johnson called it “an attempt to gauge the local interest in theater.” The show wouldn’t have been confused with a Broadway performance, but the actors did prove a far cry from the pitiful group of players described in “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead,” and more importantly, residents attended the performances. 

“I knew we had something we could run with,” Johnson said. “Such was the birth of Triskelion.”

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A non-profit organization, Triskelion is based in Fanwood and, over the next year, will begin to present a full complement of shows. According to Johnson, “the company will have a focus on improv comedy and acting.” However, not all of Triskilion’s shows will be in this unpredictable genre.  Johnson has already decided on a few of the dramas his company will be performing, including a Mystery Murder Dinner Theatre in October and “A Christmas Carol” set to run through the holiday season. 

For actors, Johnson said he intends to use local high-school performers and post-collegiate actors, as well as any, more senior members of the community who wish to take the stage. 

“It is imperative that our actors be locals; kids and adults from within the community,” Johnson said. “Moreover it is clear to me that, largely due to local high school arts departments, the talent exists for an organization like the Triskelion Theatre Company to thrive.”

Those interested in joining The Triskelion Theatre Company are invited to take part in open auditions Saturday at 1 p.m. at All Saints Episcopal Church, located at 559 Park Ave in Scotch Plains. Those who wish to learn more about the company, auditions and upcoming performances, contact Richard Johnson by calling 908-256-5704.

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