Community theaters always ready for next act

Putting on a show is never as easy as Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland made it seem in the 1939 movie "Babes in Arms." But the enthusiasm their characters exhibited for the enterprise ... that much was accurate.

In an era when entertainment options abound — many of them limited to staring at a screen in the privacy of our homes — amateur community theater troupes in small cities across Ohio continue to thrive, despite the inevitable ups and downs and occasional bumps in the dramatic road.

"There was a period about five years ago when our audiences were dwindling, so the board of directors got together to ask why this was happening. Everybody gets older, and we found the taste of our audience was changing," Karen Severance, president of Fairfield County's Millersport Community Theater, famed for a minstrel show that began in 1958, said.

"We're in a learning process ourselves, and we're looking at staging some more contemporary things. But we're not going to lose the old-fashioned minstrel show," she said.

Arriving at the proper balance of classic stage shows and more modern fare is a never-ending experiment for most theater companies as they strive to remain relevant in this age of multiple distractions. Some choices don't always work, others are no-brainers.

"Last season we pushed the envelope a good deal and some of our steady audience members didn't really appreciate that. We had a few walkouts. So this season we're backing away from that," Wendy Hartman, a board member for Newark's Licking County Players, said.

"People prefer to sit and laugh all evening compared to leaving sobbing. But we still want to challenge our actors to push their boundaries, and the audience, as well."

"There are hundreds of titles and playwrights out there that people don't know. It's amazing what we could do," Doug Wertz, artistic director of Richland County's Mansfield Playhouse, said.

"To some extent we have to stage what sells. Comedy always sells, because people love to laugh. People like to see mystery thrillers. But every show is a risk."

Chillicothe Civic Theatre, which for years has rented out the Majestic Theatre for its performances, hopes to debut a new facility of its own this year or early in 2015. Mary Brooks, business manager for the company, hopes that will be the first of a few changes.

"With the addition of our own playhouse in the future we'll have more flexibility, and can stage some of the trendier things in the smaller venue. When we have our own space, we can write our own book, so to speak," Brooks said.

Regardless of what they put on stage, however, theater companies can't just count on audiences to show up. Touting the special experience of a live show, a unique experience in this day and age, has become critical to their marketing strategies.

"I enjoy binging on Netflix as much as the next person, but going to the theater can be a full, fun evening, and it's an experience vastly different from going to the movies or watching TV. And the theater is also less expensive than going to the movies," Hartman said.

"There's something special about the theater — the smells, the sights, the unpredictability — that you don't get with polished TV shows and movies. In theater you get just one shot at it," Brooks said. "I like that unpredictability. That's the essence of theater."

Wertz has found interest in community theater to be a largely cyclical phenomenon, but the Mansfield Playhouse has to have a strategy that works in every environment to be successful.

"We have to be creative in our marketing and use whatever resources are at hand to keep our name out there. Marketing is No. 1, and No. 2 is word of mouth," he said.

Part of that effort is assuring local business and civic communities are aware of its contributions as well.

"We often have patrons from out of town ask us where they may have dinner or drinks after a show and we continually direct them to those downtown spots for the proximity and quality they provide," Wertz said.

"I believe art enriches a community, and when you find a truly thriving community you'll find it has a strong basis in the arts," Hartman said. "That's a mark of a healthy community."

While picky audiences may occasionally present a conundrum to community theaters, actually staging a show, although it may have its myriad challenges, is a process that comes with its fair share of delights.

"We have many talented people who want to be on stage, but not something as big as New York. They just want to do what they love, maybe it's just a hobby, but it satisfies that need and gives them a sense of fulfillment," Severance said.

"I tell our actors that just because we're community theater doesn't mean that we don't strive to put on a professional show every time. The only difference between an amateur and a professional is a paycheck," Wertz said.

"There is no typical community theater actor, that's what makes them great. Nobody is right for every role."

And yet, there always seems to be somebody just right for a particular part.

"There are people out there waiting to be found. Some of them have never been involved in theater before, and we're putting them out there. They come from all walks of life," Brooks said.

The results are often surprising.

"We did 'Company' in June, which I had never heard of before. I thought, 'How can we do this?' But oh, my gosh, they did such a wonderful job. They took a lot of the sexuality out of it. It still wasn't a children's show, but they toned it down," Severance said of her Millersport Community Theater.

"We're really lucky because we all know everybody so we know who's needed to play a part. But sometimes other people might want the part and surprise everyone. Nobody thought of me for the Wicked Witch (in 'The Wizard of Oz'), including myself, but I auditioned and got the part," Severance said.

As Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland learned when they tried to save their local summer stock theater, putting on a show isn't just about lining up the best actors. The list of back-stage tasks is seemingly endless. In most community theaters, those duties are passed around.

"With 'Assassins,' our John Wilkes Booth also did our lighting design," Hartman said. "People can broaden their horizons if they like. It's that flexibility, I think, that encourages great participation."

And sometimes, it's just about making sure everything has been taken care of before the curtain rises.

"Like with any small community, you find someone who does something well and work them to death," Severance said. "We all join in and participate and get the job done one way or another."

thill3@nncogannett.com

419-521-7283

Twitter: @ToddHillMNJ