GCT Plans Well-Rounded Schedule For '09-10
May 31, 2009
By ST. CLAIRE DONAGHY
Index-Journal Staff Writer
Greenwood, SC - Fun. Mysterious. Heartwarming. Crowd-pleasing. Classic. New and whimsical.
Greenwood Community Theatre's 2009-2010 season has a line up with a little "something for everybody," according to artistic/executive director Bess Park.
- "It's a really solid season," Park said. "With the exception of one show we're doing that is unpublished, every one of the shows in the season has been requested multiple times during the past three years."
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With three years now under her belt at the helm of GCT, Park said she's committed to a "challenging" season that includes everything from pop culture phenomenons such as Disney's "High School Musical" to an Agatha Christie mystery, a classic musical from American theater, a Shakespearean production, a yet-to-be published play about the shag and an "over-the-top" production that brings Dr. Seuss' characters to stage.
The recently announced line-up includes seven productions, but Park has a few extras in mind, too, time permitting.
However, Park said she is not scheduling different shows for every month of the year.
"In the past, we've done 12 shows a year and I can't do 12 shows a year again," Park said. "It was too much. It makes more sense to do fewer shows and maybe run a few of them for longer."
For example, Park said she's considering a three-weekend run for the Joseph Stein play, "Fiddler on the Roof."
On the schedule for February, Park said this beloved musical, with well-known songs such as "Tradition," "Matchmaker, Matchmaker," "If I Were A Rich Man" and "Sunrise, Sunset," is "one of the most beautiful musicals ever written."
"It ranks right up there with an 'Oklahoma!' for me as far as music and choreographically, it's fabulous," Park said.
Before "Fiddler on the Roof" though are "High School Musical" in August and Agatha Christie' mystery, "The Mousetrap" in October.
"High School Musical" Park said, is a show high school age kids have been asking her to consider.
"It's getting young kids excited about theater," Park said, admitting that she's never seen the play, which is based on an original made-for-TV movie done for the Disney Channel.
"I think it's highly-accessible theatre," Park said. "And why not do something the kids want to do? I'm going to audition it this summer so the kids are out of school and have a lot of time to put into it."
Also this summer, GCT has a full schedule of youth summer camps, including a "Narnia" camp focusing on the writings of C.S. Lewis. In conjunction with that, Park said she would love to stage a Kids 4 Kids production of "The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe" in late September or early October.
"I'm going to audition the show at the end of the summer camp," Park said. "It will give those involved with the camp a chance to see a show produced, from start to finish."
As fall gets in full swing during October, Agatha Christie's "The Mousetrap" comes to stage where Park will put her own directorial mark on a popular mystery tt is the longest-running show in London's West End.
"I've wanted to do this since my first season here at GCT," Park said. "I love Agatha Christie."
In addition to that well-known theatrical mystery, Park said she would like to have a murder mystery dinner theater production and she's in the process of reviewing potential scripts.
In December is the time honored tradition of producing a fun show with lots of kids, "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever."
"It's going to become an annual event at the theater," Park said. "I want to grow my little actors and many community theaters do this show every year. It becomes a wonderful, community-building event. Young children can come through our kids programs and this is sort of their introductory performance."
Depending on the economy, a small production might be done in January before "Fiddler on the Roof," Park said.
Come the end of March or early April is Shakespeare's tale of star-crossed lovers from feuding families, "Romeo and Juliet."
"We've had a great go of it with classic theatre productions," Park said, noting the numbers of folks auditioning for other classics, including Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream," as well as Moliere's "The Misanthrope," have been quite strong.
"I love doing classics and we're going to keep doing classics," Park said, pointing out that actually seeing people act out and speak the words of Shakespeare and other classic playwrights makes works much more accessible.
"Rather than just reading it, people need to see Shakespeare," Park said.
With "Romeo and Juliet" a variety of roles are available, Park said, giving many amateur actors and actresses a chance to read the boards of classic theater.
Since being names artistic/executive director three years ago, Park said more than 700 people have auditioned for GCT shows, bringing a true sense of community and theater for all to the stage.
"Every show, we have eight, nine, 10 or 12 new people audition and I would love to see more people participate in what we're doing," Park said.
In May comes "Dancin' Fools," a yet published play by Laddy Sartin who previously brought his play "Catfish Moon" to the GCT stage.
The play is about a shag dance contest near Conway, S.C.
"We're hoping to offer some shag classes and connect with local shag clubs," Park said. "We might even have a big shag party or contest of some sort."
Then, in June and for the 2010 Festival of Flowers, is "Seussical the Musical," a large cast production with costumes galore which brings beloved Dr. Seuss characters to life.
Before all that, though Park has to concentrate on the 2009 Festival of Flowers offering, "Children of Eden," June 24-28, concerning the first five books of the Bible and combining story-tellers and music.
Only six performances are scheduled.
"It's a beautiful piece with extraordinary music and staging," Park said.
Opening night, June 24, a Wednesday, a special price of $10 per ticket is available to groups of $15 or more.
Following that, on Aug. 14, 15, and 16 is an Elvis Presley tribute weekend. Plans are to have an Elvis impersonator, a gospel chorale and a performance of the play, "Graceland."
To reserve and purchase tickets, call (864) 229-5704.
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