Led by UUCM member Laura Thomas, The Theater Group has resumed after its hiatus much as it originally started – with play readings and a hope that in the future, actual productions will follow when possible. The idea is for a monthly schedule to start.
As always, much respect and gratitude to the original founders Jack Drucker and Vince Wares, and to all who made the group a robust and inspiring undertaking in UUCM’s past. We are hoping for your help in reconstructing the history of past UUCM productions as well as hearing what your visions for the future of the group might be!
No memorization and no rehearsals necessary! Laura will get the scripts to those interested about a week before each reading and you can contact Laura with questions about anything in the script beforehand. There will be a prompter for the inevitable losing of places, tech glitches causing actor disappearances, etc. that Zoom will produce.
Reading times will vary by show and by actors’ interpretations but we are estimating 2-3 hours. Participating in one reading doesn’t obligate anyone to come to all readings. If there is interest in historical/critical/dramaturgic aspects, or in discussing issues the show raises, those who want can remain after the reading and those who don’t can wave goodbye. Please indicate if you are interested in such an add-on.
Please contact Laura via Realm if you’d like to be added to the group, and please help spread the word to those who might be interested!
The Theater Collective, renamed under the guidance of Rev Anya to reflect its organization under the Worship and Celebration team, met on March 27th 2021, also World Theatre Day.
The UUCM monthly theme of commitment intersects with Sweat by Lynn Nottage in a number of areas as the playwright explores friendship, unions (marital and labor), family, co-workers, and a company’s -and our nation’s- commitments to the people who comprise them. A gritty winner of the 2017 Pulitzer Prize, Sweat challenged our cast to read profane, racist, substance-abusing, criminal, and white supremacist characters drawn by the pen of a Black woman playwright. On a day when labor activists gathered in Bessemer, AL in support of Amazon workers uniting, the play felt extremely timely.
Our cast from this reading included Hank Fandel (Evan), Becca Siebert Nast (Jason), Steve Crooks (Stan), Laura Thomas (Oscar/Jessie Act II), Raymonde Dumont (Tracey), Deb Corbett (Cynthia), Lianne Schoenwiesner (Jessie Act I), Dan Silver (Brucie), and guest participant James Barniker (Chris). Carol McGough graciously comprised our audience.
Please contact us for more information.