Submitted by Footlighters Theatre Society
The final production of Footlighters Theatre Society’s 28th season will be chosen through a series of play readings.
The readings will launch following the society’s annual general meeting, being held 2 p.m. on Sept. 17 at Kootenay River Theatre.
Led by Footlighters board member Lynne Karey-McKenna, selections she has chosen include, among others, The Foreigner, The Dining Room, Take Five or The Matchmaker, with the first reading being chosen by those present. The series provides an opportunity not only to select a play for production, but also to participate in helping develop the season without being onstage or memorizing lines.
“Play readings take all that away — you’re just reading with a group of people having fun and either listening or being part of a new story,” said Karey-McKenna. “Plays are meant to be performed, so reading them with others is a much better experience than reading them by yourself, and doing things like play reading we develop more of a team and more skills.”
While Karey-McKenna has several plays that she’d like to have read, the format of the series allows the group to choose a play at each session.
“We will get feedback from the audience and readers and talk about if this is a play worth presenting in the future,” she said. “Ideally we would get a consistent group that wants to help Footlighters pick out a play, and then the group that has consistently read the plays can vote on which play they like the best to take to production.”
The theatre group’s goals include enhancing theatrical experiences for the community, and play readings will offer a different and educational experience for participants.
“This gets the community involved in deciding our season,” said Karey-McKenna, who is looking for a co-chair for the reading committee.
Subsequent play readings following the first on Sept. 17 are scheduled for Sept. 28, Oct. 19, and Nov. 7 in the Creston Valley Public Library meeting room. For more information, contact Lynne Karey-McKenna at 604-807-5802 or lynnekmc@gmail.com.