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Produced and directed by Mel Sussman, founder of the Rio Rancho Players Community Theatre, the Players will be presenting this classic play, which has been the most produced play in American theater, over three weekends in October.
Wilder’s play provides a glimpse in the daily life of two families residing in a small town in New Hampshire, and the love affair and eventual marriage, which springs up between George and Emily, next door neighbors. Our Town is a poignant look at life quite similar to how life is played out in Rio Rancho… everyday living and events that is many times overlooked for its significance. The play will have a preview, Pay What You Will Performance, October 10th at7pm. October 12, 18, 26, at 7:30pm. October 13, 19, 20, 26, 27 at 2pm. at The Neighborhood in Rio Rancho Life Plan Community 900 Loma Colorado Blvd Tickets $25+ $20 65+/students/educators/military |
Rio Rancho Players Community Theatre is Rio Rancho's only all ages community theatre group. We welcome all skill levels. It is free to join! When possible we double cast roles so we can involve as many people as possible. We also need people for crew, set design, set building, costuming, make-up, concessions, ushering, etc. If you are interested in helping us bring community theatre to Rio Rancho - please contact Mel Sussman at [email protected]
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Want to know more about RRPCT? Watch these videos to learn about us!
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THANK YOU to these local businesses and donors for their support of
Rio Rancho Players!
Rio Rancho Players!
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Listen to our recent interview on KDSK! Click play below.
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Mel Sussman, the founder of the Rio Rancho Players Community Theatre group is a former Managing Consultant for Leadership Effectiveness. He joined McREL (Mid-Continent Research Education Laboratory) after 38 years in public education as a classroom teacher, magnet program coordinator and building level administrator. Prior to joining the McREL team, he served as an Assistant Principal for Edison Schools in Denver and as a Middle School Principal in the Weld RE1 School District in Northern Colorado. Before his transition to Colorado, Mr. Sussman served as an Assistant Principal in the Pottsgrove School District in Pennsylvania. In the classroom, Mr. Sussman served as a Communications Technology Program Coordinator at Franklin Learning Center High School in the School District of Philadelphia. Mr. Sussman has served as an adjunct journalism instructor at Temple University and as Supervisor of Student Teachers at the University of Northern Colorado. Mr. Sussman holds a Bachelors’ Degree in Communications and Theater from Temple University and a Masters’ Degree in Educational Administration from Rider University in Lawrenceville, NJ.
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While pursuing his degree at Temple University Mr. Sussman majored in journalism and minored in theater arts. He both co-directed and directed 2 university theater productions and for two years directed a closed- circuit weekly sports interview program.
Throughout the course of his educational career Sussman directed theatrical productions at the middle school, high school, college and community levels. He has directed the musical theater productions: South Pacific, Fiddler on the Roof, West Side Story, and a Tribute to Disney. Additionally, he has directed the dramatic productions, Thornton Wilder’s Our Town, James Baldwin’s Amen Corner, Arsenic and Old Lace, To Kill A Mockingbird and Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner. He was assistant director for a college production of Harvey.
While heading the journalism component at William Penn High School’s Communications Magnet Program, Mr. Sussman wrote and directed the musical, More Than Magic, a takeoff on the award-winning play, Pippin. This production utilized over 100 students and teachers from throughout the program and was performed both in Philadelphia and as the finale of the Columbia Scholastic Press Tournament in NYC.
Mr. Sussman joined McREL as a Principal Consultant, providing leadership training focusing on McREL’s School-Level Balanced Leadership work. A prominent initiative involved consulting with the Contemporary Learning Academy High School, providing professional development in the area of building a Purposeful Community, through the establishment of a set of Operating Principles at that Denver Public Schools alternative school. Additionally, Mr. Sussman provided the leadership material for a series of ELL workshops in the Harrison School District in Colorado Springs, CO. Additionally, Mr. Sussman was a member of the four-person team providing professional development to 300 administrators in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District in Ohio.
Mr. Sussman provided school-level leadership and technical assistance for Englewood Schools, an urban district, located on the border of Denver, CO., Lawrence
Township Public Schools, in Lawrenceville, NJ, Sublette County School District, in Pinedale, WY, the Yavapai County Educational Service Center, both Clarksville and Cheatham County Schools, TN., New Brunswick Public Schools, NJ, the West Covina Unified School District, CA, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology in the Bahamas, and Education Service Centers throughout the United States.. Mr. Sussman has also provided professional development throughout the United States in Classroom Instruction that Works, most notably in Youngstown, OH, Pinedale, WY, and Whitmore Lake, MI. Additionally, Mr. Sussman provided training in both teacher and principal evaluation throughout the United States.
Finally, Mr. Sussman was a member of the initial McREL team which travelled to the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands, where he offered three levels of workshops in Balanced Leadership and Writing across the Content Areas. From that initial Balanced Leadership professional development, he designed and implemented a Balanced Leadership Implementation Support Program for all 19 principals and their leadership teams. Mr. Sussman consulted with that district for 4 years. Mr. Sussman put his extensive writing background to good use, authoring two articles in McREL’s ‘Changing Schools’ magazine, was the primary author of the leadership section of the Stupski research project, and co-wrote two chapters of McREL’s recently published, school-level leadership field book, Balanced Leadership for Powerful Learning. He has also authored two articles on the importance of building a quality leadership team, one of which was published in The Learning Professional magazine.
Presently, Mr. Sussman is the owner and leadership consultant for MJS Leadership PD, LLC, providing leadership skills training to school districts throughout the United States. At this time, he is consulting with school districts in Iowa and Tennessee.
Throughout the course of his educational career Sussman directed theatrical productions at the middle school, high school, college and community levels. He has directed the musical theater productions: South Pacific, Fiddler on the Roof, West Side Story, and a Tribute to Disney. Additionally, he has directed the dramatic productions, Thornton Wilder’s Our Town, James Baldwin’s Amen Corner, Arsenic and Old Lace, To Kill A Mockingbird and Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner. He was assistant director for a college production of Harvey.
While heading the journalism component at William Penn High School’s Communications Magnet Program, Mr. Sussman wrote and directed the musical, More Than Magic, a takeoff on the award-winning play, Pippin. This production utilized over 100 students and teachers from throughout the program and was performed both in Philadelphia and as the finale of the Columbia Scholastic Press Tournament in NYC.
Mr. Sussman joined McREL as a Principal Consultant, providing leadership training focusing on McREL’s School-Level Balanced Leadership work. A prominent initiative involved consulting with the Contemporary Learning Academy High School, providing professional development in the area of building a Purposeful Community, through the establishment of a set of Operating Principles at that Denver Public Schools alternative school. Additionally, Mr. Sussman provided the leadership material for a series of ELL workshops in the Harrison School District in Colorado Springs, CO. Additionally, Mr. Sussman was a member of the four-person team providing professional development to 300 administrators in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District in Ohio.
Mr. Sussman provided school-level leadership and technical assistance for Englewood Schools, an urban district, located on the border of Denver, CO., Lawrence
Township Public Schools, in Lawrenceville, NJ, Sublette County School District, in Pinedale, WY, the Yavapai County Educational Service Center, both Clarksville and Cheatham County Schools, TN., New Brunswick Public Schools, NJ, the West Covina Unified School District, CA, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology in the Bahamas, and Education Service Centers throughout the United States.. Mr. Sussman has also provided professional development throughout the United States in Classroom Instruction that Works, most notably in Youngstown, OH, Pinedale, WY, and Whitmore Lake, MI. Additionally, Mr. Sussman provided training in both teacher and principal evaluation throughout the United States.
Finally, Mr. Sussman was a member of the initial McREL team which travelled to the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands, where he offered three levels of workshops in Balanced Leadership and Writing across the Content Areas. From that initial Balanced Leadership professional development, he designed and implemented a Balanced Leadership Implementation Support Program for all 19 principals and their leadership teams. Mr. Sussman consulted with that district for 4 years. Mr. Sussman put his extensive writing background to good use, authoring two articles in McREL’s ‘Changing Schools’ magazine, was the primary author of the leadership section of the Stupski research project, and co-wrote two chapters of McREL’s recently published, school-level leadership field book, Balanced Leadership for Powerful Learning. He has also authored two articles on the importance of building a quality leadership team, one of which was published in The Learning Professional magazine.
Presently, Mr. Sussman is the owner and leadership consultant for MJS Leadership PD, LLC, providing leadership skills training to school districts throughout the United States. At this time, he is consulting with school districts in Iowa and Tennessee.
