For the first time in Olean’s history, a group of New York City performers are coming to put on a festival that is to make audiences laugh and give them the thrill only a live performance can properly give, said Emily Fletcher, actor.
“It’s a bit of a shock,” she said. “It breaks you out of your way of thinking and allows you to have your perspective shifted. That’s what theater is supposed to do.”
Breaking its ground in Olean, The Twin Tiers Theater Festival is a brand new group of actors, set designers, directors, producers and everyone else needed to make a multiple plays come to life. Rohig Kapoor was the mastermind behind the Festival and is the co-artistic director and one of the producers, Amy Kyzer said.
Kyzer was approached by Kapoor and “couldn’t say no.” She is now co-producer and co-artistic director of the plays and the Festival’s main spokesperson.
The birth of the festival began last year when Kapoor visited his father in Olean and realized that Olean was the perfect place to hold the first performances of the group, Kyzer said.
“We (most of the cast) checked out the area and just loved it! It was such a welcoming environment,” said Molly Logan, NYC actor.
The Festival is to perform seven plays and one musical: Crimes of the Heart; As Bees in Honey Drown; Boeing, Boeing; an original production yet to be announced; Into the Woods (musical); The Importance of Being Earnest and The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe. The “original production” is just that – it is a play that has never been performed on stage anywhere and will premiere in Olean before going on the circuit to places like Chicago and NYC, Kyzer said.
Kyzer does warn however that not all shows are “kid friendly.” Parents should look into the play before bringing children, but she does suggest not to bring them to “Boeing, Boeing” or “Veronica’s Secret.” She did say, however, that “Into the Woods” would be appropriate for those with a mature mind.
Besides hoping to bring great theater to Olean, the Festival also brought some renovations. The Twin Tiers Theater Festival has provided money and received donations to revamp the Washington Street Theater, home to the Olean Theatre Workshop. The restoration includes a new lighting system and an increased number of seats from 55 to 105. Kyzer mentioned that BOCES of Ellicottville was a huge help as well as local contractors and others donating their time and work to change the Washington Street Theater for the better. Along with renovating the Theater, the Walsh building was also spruced up as a living area for the actors during the summer. According to Kyzer, the greatest part about the renovations is that they stay after the group leaves – Olean can continue to make money through their own local productions.
The Festival hired 130 actors and musicians, hiring six locals. “Into the Woods” will also feature seven children from the Olean Theatre Workshop.
“It’s kind of neat because people from New York are coming and we’ll (local hires) be able to work with professionals,” said D.B. Busan, a local actress.
The Festival not only has cultural benefits, but economic benefits as well.
“The Festival has the potential of adding more economic prosperity to the area … and put Olean on the map,” said Anne Conroy-Baiter, executive director of the Cattaraugus County Arts Council. The Council is not affiliated with county agencies, but was approached by the Festival to spread the word about the Festival and what they have to offer the Olean area and residents.
“Whenever you bring any culture or arts to the area, you bring a lot of people out and that is always good because it can invigorate the economy,” said Leo Ash Even, NYC actor.
Even though the City of Olean cannot directly support the Festival’s initiative, it can in its own way. “The city can’t offer support, but can encourage,” said Mayor Linda L. Witte. She also believes that the performances will draw people from Buffalo, Erie and Pennsylvania to the Olean area.
The new group will begin performances on June 24 and will last until August 29.
“It’s really an honor to create something from the ground up,” Fletcher said.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.twintierstheater.org.
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