Lofte Community Theatre Announces 2023 Season

Doublewide, Texas

By Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope, & Jamie Wooten

March 24, 25, 26, 30, 31 & April 1, 2

Auditions: Feb. 13 & 14 @ 7 PM

The inhabitants of one of the smallest trailer parks in Texas—four doublewides and a shed—are thrown for a loop when they realize the nearby town of Tugaloo is determined to annex them. These friends, enemies, and neighbors will need to work together to overcome the oncoming annexation and preserve their way of life. This hilarious, fast-paced comedy, comes with plenty of “down home” humor to go around!

Wit

By Margaret Edson

May 5, 6, 7, 11, 12, 13, 14

Auditions: Feb. 16 & 17 @ 7 PM

*We suggest PG-13 for adult themes- This show discusses cancer and death*

Vivian Bearing, Ph.D., a renowned professor of English who has spent years studying and teaching the brilliant and difficult metaphysical sonnets of John Donne, has been diagnosed with terminal ovarian cancer. During the course of her illness—and her stint as a prize patient in an experimental chemotherapy program at a major teaching hospital—Vivian comes to reassess her life and her work with deep insight and humor that are transformative both for her and the audience. Winner of the 1999 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

9 to 5: The Musical

Music and Lyrics by Dolly Parton; Book by Patricia Resnick

July 15, 16, 20, 21, 22, 23, 27, 28, 29, 30

Auditions: May 15 & 16 @ 7 PM

Pushed to the boiling point, three female coworkers concoct a plan to take the power away from the sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot they call their boss. Based on the 1980 hit movie, 9 to 5 The Musical is a hilarious, outrageous, and thought-provoking story of friendship and revenge in the Rolodex era. Come see these women take control of their office and discover there is nothing they can’t do, even in a man’s world.

The Mousetrap

By Agatha Christie

September 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10

Auditions: July 24 & 25 @ 7 PM

*This show discusses death, murder, and child abuse*

After a local woman is murdered, the guests and staff at Monkswell Manor find themselves stranded during a snowstorm. It soon becomes clear that the killer is among them, as the seven strangers grow increasingly suspicious of one another. A police detective arrives on skis to interrogate the suspects but when a second murder takes place, tensions and fears escalate. This murder mystery features a brilliant surprise finish from Dame Agatha Christie, the foremost mystery writer of her time. The world’s longest-running play comes to the Lofte stage!

The Nerd

By Larry Shue

October 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, 26, 27, 28, 29

Auditions: Aug. 13 @ 2 PM & Aug. 14 @ 7 PM

Aspiring architect Willum Cubbert owes his life to Rick Steadman, a fellow ex-GI whom he has never met but who saved his life when he was wounded in battle. Willum has told Rick that as long as he is alive, “you will have somebody on Earth who will do anything for you.” To Willum’s delight, Rick unexpectedly appears on the night of his thirty-fourth birthday party. However, delight soon turns to dismay as he discovers that Rick is a hopeless “nerd,” —a bumbling oaf with no social sense, little intelligence and less tact. This outrageous comedy will leave you laughing all the way home!

A Doublewide, Texas Christmas

By Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope, & Jamie Wooten

December 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17

Auditions: Oct. 16 & 17 @ 7 PM

Back in one of the smallest trailer parks in Texas, it’s beginning to look a lot like trouble! Not only are the trailer park residents dealing with the stress of the holiday season, but they’ve just discovered that Doublewide is being double-crossed by the County. New problems come up and familiar problems come back as this band of eccentric Texans must band together once more to keep their lifestyle and their holiday spirit! Oh, there’s no place like a good ol’ Texas-sized mobile home for the holidays!

Springer Opera House Announces ‘Theatre Under the Stars’

Columbus, GA–Citizens will see an outdoor theatre going up on the corner of Tenth Street and Second Avenue downtown over the next six weeks as the Springer Opera House creates an innovative way to protect their audiences and artists this spring.

“COVID transmission rates are inching downward in Muscogee County but patrons aren’t quite ready to gather indoors yet,” said Springer producing artistic director Paul Pierce.  “We anticipate a continued downward trend as the weather warms and the impact of the vaccines takes hold.  Meanwhile, this amphitheatre will give patrons a quality theatre experience designed for safety.”

The Springer has repackaged its remaining shows as the “Springer Theatre Festival” and designed a comfortable fresh-air performance space with distanced seating, an outdoor lighting system and advanced video projection equipment, allowing the theatre to produce shows on a broad, thirty-two foot stage right next to the 150 year-old historic theatre.

Pierce explained, “We’ve adjusted the calendar a bit and scheduled seven shows between mid-March and late June. Six of those shows are musicals.  Columbus Consolidated Government has been very supportive in helping us work through the permitting and rules to be able to pull this off.  I’m very grateful to Mayor Henderson and City staff for all their encouragement.”

The first production in the Springer Theatre Festival will be a remount of Singin’ in the Rain which had to be cancelled when the pandemic hit last spring.  That show will kick off the Springer Theatre Festival on March 18.

Theatre lovers will also have the option of seeing shows via web streaming, if they prefer.

Masks will be required to be worn by patrons. Temperature checks and social distancing will also be required.  

Singin in the Rain – Broadway song-and-dance musical based on the film classic.

March 18, 19, 20, 26, 27, 28, April 1, and 3 at 8pm 

March 21st at 2:30PM

Cotton Patch Gospel – The story of Jesus set in modern-day rural Georgia. Bluegrass musical.

March 24, 25, and April 2 at 8pm 

March 27, 28 and April 3 at 2:30PM

Click Clack Moo – Children’s Theatre musical comedy about cows who demand blankets.

April 10 and 17 at 10am / 12:30pm / 2pm 

April 11 and 18 at 2pm

The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas – The Broadway musical set at the famous Chicken Ranch Texas brothel.

April 29,30 May 1, 6, 7, and 8 at 8pm 

May 2 and 9 at 2:30PM

Planes Trains and Things that Go Zoom – Theatre for the Very Young show about transportation

(In the backyard plaza)

May 1 and 8 at 10am / 12:30pm / 2pm

Curious George and the Golden Meatball –  Children’s Theatre show about the mischievous monkey who enters a cooking contest in Rome, Italy.

May 28 and June 4 at 7pm

May 29, June 5, and 12 at 10am 

May 29,30 June 12 and 13 at 2pm

Spamalot – Hilarious Broadway musical comedy based on Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

June 11, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 24, 25, 26 at 8pm 

June 27 at 2:30PM

Auditions for “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas” at Bellevue Little Theatre

Bellevue Little Theatre, 203 W. Mission in Bellevue, will hold auditions for “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas”,  the opening production of the 2015–2016 season,  on  Sunday July 12 and Monday., July 13 at 7 pm on both evenings. Callbacks will be held on Thurs., July 17, also at 7 pm. All auditions will be held at the theatre. NOTE: The role of Jewel has been precast.

A large cast of adult singers and dancers are needed for this production which will open on Sept.11 and run for three weekends, closing on Sept.27.

Rehearsals are tentatively scheduled to begin on Monday July 20.

D. Laureen Pickle will direct this production, and Chris Ebke is musical director.  Kerri Jo Watts is serving as choreographer, and Sandra Thompson is producer.  For information call 402 -681-9785

Those auditioning will be asked to sing 16–32 bars of a song of their choice with accompaniment. An accompanist will be provided. There will also be a dance audition and some cold readings from the script.

Due to the adult nature of this production, no one under the age of 16 will be allowed to participate.  Additionally, there are no children’s roles in this production.  If under 18, a parent/guardian must attend the audition and must sign a permission form before the young person will be allowed to audition.

This show is set in the late 1970′ and presents a happy go lucky view of small town vice and statewide political side-stepping as it recounts the good times and the demise of the Chicken Ranch, known since the 1850s as one of the better pleasure palaces in all of Texas.

Governors, senators, mayors, and even victorious college football teams frequent Miss Mona’s cozy bordello until that puritan nemesis Watchdog focuses his television cameras and his righteous indignation on the institution.

The resulting conflict is portrayed in this musical, which features lots of singing, dancing, and innuendo. The musical opened on Broadway in 1972 and was made into a movie a decade later.