Little Falls, NY – LiFT Theater has traditionally presented live stage performances since their launch in 2012. However, the grassroots theater troupe took their talents to a new “stage” in 2018 when they branched out into podcasts. On March 2nd and 3rd, these worlds collide with an original play that includes Little Falls’ only professional problem solver, Mac Blac, and the beacon of justice, The Brass Lantern!
Angela Harris created a play for the first Little Falls Cheese Festival in 2015 that was directed by Matt Powers. This inaugural “cheese play” was a hit with audiences and lead to Harris writing several more scripts for the colorful cast of characters. The storyline features Mac Blac who is charged with solving the problems of Little Falls. Some of his major cases included locating cheese, a cheese board, a cat, and even the Big Cheese. Through ongoing confusion and run on questioning, Mac Blac always cracks the case. Of course, no one knows Little Falls as well as Mac, which is made clear in Harris’ scripts.
A few years later, Matt Powers was discussing his interest in exploring radio theater with his colleague, A.G. Devitt. That discussion resurrected a character Devitt had created more than two decades prior for a series of comic books. Devitt put his character, The Brass Lantern, away unsure if it would come back to life. That is just what happened when he and Powers joined forces to write, record, and produce a 6-episode podcast with an additional holiday special, all available for free download online. The Brass Lantern is a high-action production featuring Matt Arnold and Elaina Dare as they battle heinous villains including the wickedest man alive, John Countryman, to protect Beacon City. With blinding light, blazing guns, nerves of steel and a mask of brass, crime has nowhere to hide from The Brass Lantern!
The stark disparity between the lighthearted, campy Mac Blac stories and the edgy, action-packed Brass Lantern, makes this project unique. Creators Harris and Devitt have merged their distinct projects together for a live stage performance titled, “Where’s the Brass Lantern?”
LiFT will hold two performances at the Little Falls Community Center located 524 East Main Street. Performances will be Saturday, March 2 at 6:30pm and Sunday, March 3 at 2:30pm. The shows are free to the public with a suggested $5 donation. “Where’s the Brass Lantern” will run for 35-40 minutes. For more information, please see the ‘LiFT Theater Company’ and ‘The Brass Lantern’ Facebook pages.