first quarter

As the theatre ends its first quarter we have already produced 3 shows and 4 shows are in rehearsal now for the second quarter. Last night was the first play selection meeting to look at next season. We discussed several shows and the possibility of their being produced on our stage.

Some shows are not available because they are touring professionally while other shows are available even though they are out on tour. Amateur rights are available for Market House Theatre to produce several musicals on tour including Sweeney Todd, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, The Producers, Avenue Q, South Pacific (which is the hit on Broadway at the moment), and many others. We are waiting on rights to become available in the next year or so for Hairspray, Mamma Mia, and a couple of other big touring show hits.

Looking at comedies and dramas there are several new plays which are available but most of our audience members have never heard of them.

One of the major challenges for the theatre is to select plays which attract not only audiences to buy tickets but actors to audition for the plays. A example that is a huge hit in most community theatres in larger cities is The Full Monty. We seriously looked at it last year but felt that most of our actors who were age appropriate would not audition because they are teachers and couldn't risk doing a show where they was even any hint of nudity. Part of the problem also stems from the lack of actors in their 20's to 30's . Today's world places a lot of demands on people in that age bracket. Jobs generally require 50 hour work weeks, family life is jammed into smaller time periods for many in that age group, gas prices are up and the commitment necessary to do a play isn't easy.

When I started at the theatre in the early 80's a group of 20-30 yearolds were the core of our acting pool. They came to the theatre as they moved to town and found it an easy way to make friends. They still socialize years after the plays they were in finished. Some of those friendships are still as strong today as they were 20 years ago. Performers who married and now their kids are acting in plays. Families of that early group that still go out to dinner together and some even go on vacations together.

As those actors are now in their late 40's and 50's we aren't seeing a new group replace them. We have a tremendous amount of talented young performers in grade school through high school. As soon as they hit college age they leave or they go to work in jobs that prevent them from rehearsing nights. Very few move back to Paducah after college and resume performing. Theatre's constantly lament the aging of the audience as it is harder and harder to get that 20's to 30's group to buy tickets. We are seeing that happen on the other side of the stage as well.

We are extremely fortunate to have a couple of very talented actors in their 20's-30's. You see their faces in quite a few shows. The challenge for the play selection group is to program plays that will allow opportunities for performers in that age group while not depending solely on the few performers we have to fill all those roles.

If you are in that age group I can promise that you will make life long friendships and experiences that you will remember for the rest of your life. I understand it requires a significant commitment of time and hard work, but the payoff is well worth it!