WILLY BRYAN performs a scene laying on the floor as Diana Wells, Bonnie McDonald and Donna Waterman (in the first row) look on with Sandra Johnson, Linda Robitaille, Jan Levitt, Phyllis McNelly and Leonard Rainey (in the second row) during a skit rehersal.
For the Bath Area Senior Citizens Center, it all started as skits and performances by members to raise money to fund other activities — but it wasn’t long before the Basic Players formed a troupe under the direction of Millie Ackley.
For about seven years, this small ensemble of actors have been putting on a spring show to highlight the talents of Center members. From 6-9 p.m. on May 12, however, things will be changing for the Basic Players. Instead of just having Center members perform at the spring show, they’ve decided to kick things up a notch — the troupe will be will be holding open auditions for the first time for this year’s Center variety show. The new director, Wayne Otto said,
“Let’s make it a variety show and ask people of all ages to participate,” said new director Wayne Otto.
“We have about half the acts we need booked. We want to get people to come to the audition,” troupe member Bonnie McDonald said.
Singer/songwriter Max Ater, who won the 2012 Maine’s Got Talent competition and Pretty Girls Sing Soprano are already slated to appear at the June 20 variety show.
While the evolution of the spring performance has infused the troupe with energy, the changes for the Basic Players aren’t limited to opening up participation in the yearly variety show. Otto states,
“I have big plans and I got them involved in weekly acting classes,” Otto said. During these classes, the actors work on such things as monologs from “The Crucible” by Arthur Miller. In addition, the company has decided it’s time to produce a two-act play for the October show and expanding the production to be a murder mystery dinner theater.
As the group expands their reach they need people who want to act, Phyllis McNelly, troupe member, said.
“We need players. We do not have enough people,” she explained.
The actors for the fall play, as well as the weekly acting classes, will be limited to members of the Center. The Bath Area Senior Citizen’s Center is located at 45 Floral St. in Bath. For more information on membership in the Center, call 443-4937. For more information on the Basic Players or to join the acting company, contact Wayne Otto at idirectsom@yahoo.com or call 522-9954.
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