The curtain has barely come down on SOAP Theatre’s last production of the 2017-18 season but already planning is in full gear for the 2018-19 season.
The award winning community theatre group successfully staged three productions this past season and it plans to continue with that ambitious schedule next year. The season was capped off with Outside Mullingar winning several awards at Theatre B.C.’s recent Okanagan Zone drama festival in Vernon, including Jennifer MacNeil as Best Actress, Director Tom Szalay for Best Newcomer and Brian Hesje for Best Sound Design. The adjudicator also had praise for Jeff Smith in the best actor category and gave a shout out to Tom Szalay in the best set design category.
First up for the next season is a dramatic production with a twist. Rights have been obtained for It’s A Wonderful Life- A Live Radio Broadcast, adapted by Joe Landry. Frank Venables Theatre will be transformed into a radio broadcast studio as this beloved holiday classic comes to captivating life as a live 1940s radio broadcast. With the help of an ensemble that brings a few dozen characters to the stage, the story of idealistic George Bailey unfolds as he considers ending his life one fateful Christmas Eve. Part of the fun will be having the “foley artist” or sound effects technician, on stage, creating the necessary effects rather than relying on recordings played from the sound booth. The play will run the first week of December.
Planned for late January and early February is Beyond Therapy, by Christopher Durang and directed by Nathan Linders. When upscale New York’s two least license-worthy therapists inadvertently send two patients on a collision course, the unintended consequences of the worst blind date ever disrupt the lives of everyone involved, even the therapists themselves. Can these two therapists, their patients, and two hapless bystanders overcome their hang-ups, or are they Beyond Therapy?
Lawrence & Holloman, to be directed by Trevor Leigh, is the dark and twisted story of a cynical and suicidal accounting clerk (Holloman) who gets taken under the wing of a happy-go-lucky, ever-optimistic suit salesman (Lawrence). Lawrence the optimist tries to teach Holloman the pessimist how to live happily and remain positive, until his own good luck starts to turn. Lawrence’s fiancee dumps him, his car is demolished, his dog goes missing, he loses his job, and his apartment is burned to the ground… and that’s just the beginning! Is happiness determined by our outlook on life? Or can our destiny be changed by another? The play is written by Vancouver’s own two-time Governor General Award-winning writer Morris Panych and will be SOAP Theatre’s entry in the 2019 Okanagan Drama Festival. It will be staged in late April and early May.
Auditions for Beyond Therapy and Lawrence and Holloman will take place on June 9 and 10 from 1 to 4 pm at Big Blue, the large metal building at the Quail’s Nest Arts Centre on Airport Road in Oliver. An audition call for It’s A Wonderful Life – A Live Radio Broadcast will go out in September.
Beyond Therapy is seeking four men and two women. Bruce is a lawyer in his mid to late thirties; Prudence is mid to late thirties; Bob is a pharmacist in his mid to late thirties; Stuart, a therapist, can range from early forties to early fifties; Charlotte is a therapist and can range from late thirties to late forties; Andrew is a waiter, preferably younger than Bob and Bruce and ideally mid
to late twenties. Questions about beyond Therapy can be directed to Linders at info@soplayers.ca
Director Leigh will be looking for two males, ages 25-60, for the lead roles. The actors will have lots of stage time and will be challenged in their roles. Also sought are two females, ages 20 to 80.
The play will have a live original sound score and sound effects. One or both of the female actors should be able to play piano or guitar or violin or cello or the vibes or any interesting instrument. One and/or both will also be asked to contribute live sound effects on stage and will be required to sing.
Leigh is looking for creative souls who love music and theatre and are interested in creating original compositions and sound effects. If you have any original music or recordings please submit a sample to the director at ftleigh@mac.com.
More information on the meeting or the upcoming season can be obtained by email at info@soaptheatre.ca
