"Play Reading Week" up soon

Well, "Doubt" has closed...what a powerful show it was! Our ticket sales were low on this one. Folks don't seem to prefer much drama in their lives these days...can't say as I blame them. But this was a goodie! Pulitzer Prize winning, lots of layers, incredibly well-constructed dialogue, it was a pristine drama. 2 NEW actors took the stage with storming talent. It was a great experience for this director.

Now onto our next project: The vehicle that helps us plan our seasons - PLAY READING WEEK. We will all sit around a table and read the plays we are considering for next season. Diverse and fun.

Until next time - see you "on stage, behind the stage on behind the scenes"....!

3 show rehearsing at same time!

It isn't often that we have THREE SHOWS rehearsing at the same time...but we do right now! "Doubt" is about to open next week and that cast and crew is in the main theatre. "Sylvia" is having some transition, one of the cast members, a dear friend and player is having some health problems and had to drop out. But they WILL survive and so we pray real hard will our dear friend. "Sylvia" is rehearsing in the Wing until after next week. "The Miracle Worker" is rehearsing whenever/wherever they can hang their collective hats until "Sylvia" moves.

Confused? Me too. But what FUN we are having!

onward and upward!

"Doubt" coming soon

I wasn't supposed to direct "Doubt"....Liz Orndorff, one of our directors and long time supporters was supposed to direct it. But Liz is a playwright, an author and all around busy gal trying to make her mark in the literary world so...she up and "won" a fellowship to write in Taos, New Mexico for 3 months. I can't imagine that she chose that opportunity over directing community theatre! At any rate, she is out there in the mountains trying to create and be famous and we are struggling back here in Danville to mount this incredible play by John Patrick Shanley!

It opens on March 17th for just 5 performances! To get tickets call our Box Office at 859-319-0205.

Our cast is incredible, featuring our founders' daughter, Paula Hill, Marc Roland, newcomers - Jo Newton and Dawn Baker. The talented Alice Berka is assisting me and we are well on our way in presenting this incredible drama.

The theatre is busier than ever with prep for PLAY READING WEEK. We've auditioned and cast two shows in the last month, "Sylvia" and "The Miracle Worker"...so THREE SHOWS are in rehearsal at the same time.

Personally, I feel a little spent, but exhilirated at the same time. I've been involved in this process for so long, I mostly take it in stride. But the process can be tedious and worrisome. There is so much "undercover" work that has to be done, i.e., costumes, set pieces, props, set dressing, painting, procuring unsual props, lighting, advertising, paperwork...it goes on...It is amazing how much work and energy goes into a community theatre production. The idea of Judy Garland's famous line - "let's put on a show" is ludicrous. It take a village, a community, and lots of effort.

In spite of everything, I am thrilled to be a part of it all!

See you "on stage, behind the stage, or in the audience"!

Play Reading Week coming soon...

Our ANNUAL PLAY READING WEEK is upon us. This is a great tool to help choose our season. We started this in an effort to give folks who don't like to be on stage, don't want to audition, but DO like to read good plays in an informal setting. So, for a few days we meet, have scrumptious snacks and good coffee and read outloud all the plays that we might be considering for the next year. It is fun, alive and informative. This year, we will begin on Sunday afternoon, March 7th and each evening thru Wednesday. IF you have a play, let us know so we can get it ready to read!

It's been awhile...things got crazy at the theatre. My intent was good, but you know what they say about "good intentions". The film "Julia and Julie" really inspired me...but inspiration took a back seat to busy-ness. So...I must admit that my resolutions to write every day, went to every week, to once a month, to virtiually nothings since ... whatever...

The theatre had its wonderful 30th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION. Food was great, the theatre facilities looked great, the company was great...everything was great! Now we are down to the business of the season and my job as Managing Director is never done.

We have an incredible schedule, which opened with the culmination of a 10-Minute Play Contest in September. We produced the top 8 plays. The judges received 75 plays to review and it wasn't easy to pick the top winners. But we did and had a wonderful run of producing them. There was a diverse cast - lots of new folks and it was successful all around. Then we produced "The Fantasticks" - the first (and only to our knowledge) musical that West Hill himself ever directed, some 25 years ago! This time the director's chair was occupied by his daughter, Paula Hill. It was a FANTASTICK! show and enjoyed by all.

Then we had a sweet, original play "CLAUS AND THE KING" that debuted to large, happy and pleased crowds. Another show that involved new people on stage and in the audience. Beth Marlowe always does a great job with the kids and this was NO exception!

We just recently finally cast "Doubt" to be produced in March. This intense play found us having difficulties casting the role for the African American mother. But we finally did and we have a dynamite cast!

Well....too much information for one catch up blog. Would love to get some more followers, but in the meantime, I'm glad to be back to writing....

Happy New Year!

After opening nite our our new theatre building, we continued to produce about 4-5 shows a season. We procured good directors and even better actors. Our patron paying base of regular givers kept rising. We sold out nearly every production. Our volunteer Board of Directors and volunteer players, director and technical folk worked often round the clock to keep the theatre a success. It was a good 10 years. It was time to grow again...and we began increasing our schedule. We added childrens shows and musicals. Again, we sold out. The involvement of children garnered nearly a 100 auditioners for one musical. The need was evident and we met it. Our childrens shows would sell out before they opened.

It was an exciting and prosperous time.

debt here we come!

Up until this point in our short history, we had no debt. We managed financially play to play, existing and maintaining just on ticket income and a handful of annual paying patrons. We had a couple of businesses that came on board and kicked in more than their share. But our coffers were small.

It was at this point, with not a "pot", we came across an old warehouse in the "Heart of Danville" and thought it might just be the perfect spot for our new home. We met, we discussed, we agonized over borrowing the money to get us started. One of the local banks believed in us, we had some friends that were builders and architects and our dream came into focus.

We had a major fund raising campaign and raised enough to make us feel it might be possible. And it was. We built, with the help of hundreds of local committed folk, a beautiful, State approved - 125 seat theatre! It was replete with restrooms, dressing rooms, a small green room, a workshop, a lobby area, a technical booth, and a very expensive sprinkler system!

While we were still waiting for paint to dry we opened "Inherit the Wind" in our new building! It was an exhilirating, satisfying and incredible night as George McClure and Dorothy Belle Hill ceremoniously cut the yellow ribbon across the stage on opening nite!

Ah...we were more than on our way!