Hope Players mark 10th anniversary

By REBEKAH MINTZER
THE JOURNAL NEWS

(Original publication: July 31, 2007)

SOMERS - This summer marks the 10th anniversary of a Westchester group that provides a unique combination of theatrical performances and charitable efforts.

The Hope Players, part of the Hope for Change Foundation, have been raising money for breast cancer research for years through musical and theatrical performances. This year, their summer troupe, composed entirely of high school- and college-aged locals, will perform "Gotcha," a musical murder mystery that includes a script by a founding member of the Hope Players, Jason Summers. As with all of Hope's productions, all proceeds from "Gotcha," which opened Friday at Kennedy Catholic High School in Somers and continues this weekend, will go to local breast cancer research projects.

"We have volunteered a lot of time and energy into this and I think it is for a great cause," said Michael Infantino, 18, a Manhattan College sophomore who plays Alexander Stevens in "Gotcha." "Last year was my first year in a Hope show, and I was kind of nervous, but this year I can't wait to perform."

The plot of "Gotcha" centers on a murder mystery and a motley cast of a characters including a suspicious party host, a sinister all-female gang and a private eye. Summers' script incorporates smaller plays by other authors that fit into his, forming a coherent and comedic whole. "Gotcha," like many Hope shows before it, uses both original tunes and well-known popular and Broadway songs.

"Because it's a mystery, it really gets everyone in the audience thinking," said Diana Bodolato, 18, of Mahopac, who just graduated from Kennedy and plays the character of Sophie. "It'll keep you in suspense."

Peter Simone, 23, of Yonkers has been doing shows with the Hope Players since 2003. He has performed in nine productions and directed last year's "High School Hysteria" and directs a portion of "Gotcha."

Getting the chance to both act and direct has been a benefit of being part of the Hope Players for him, but he also loves spending time with his co-stars.

"The camaraderie that builds when you have such good people working together is just amazing," he said.

All three of the troupe's founding members, teenagers when they started, are involved with this production. In addition to Summers, who is playwright and artistic director, Anthony Casella is the show's producer and Barbara Smith is working the box office.

"At the time we thought it would only be a one-time thing," said Casella, 27 of Somers. "We had such a good turnout that we decided to do it again the next summer, and here we are 10 years later."

These days, the Hope Players, whose production staff has grown to 16, are putting together at least three shows a year, including their flagship summer show, and raise between $5,000 and $10,000 annually for breast cancer research.

"Without a doubt, my life has been touched by breast cancer, as have those of many people in the Hope Players," said Simone. "It's hard work and no one gets paid, but there is that extra payoff - the thousands of dollars that get donated to breast cancer charities. The feeling of doing work like that is indescribable."

Original Article from The Journal News