Theater offers a chance to direct a play in Pearland
If what you really want to do is direct, Pearland Theatre Guild might have an offer you can’t refuse.
The group, which performs shows at Pearl Theater, 14803Park Almeda Drive near Pearland, is accepting submissions from directors through March 31 for its 201617 season.
“It’s very rare,” said director Jonathan Gonzalez, for a theater to open up submissions to the public.
“Most theaters are closed shops,” he said.
Potential directors will be competing for a spot with professionals, such as Gonzalez, a Kingwood resident, and others who are willing to travel far and wide to direct at the Pearl. However, veteran directors are happy to provide suggestions for potential ones who might be up for an opportunity to workwithPTG.
“The system at the Pearl is very supportive,” said Nathan C. Hand
of ElCampo, whichissome 70miles away.
Nevertheless, said Gonzalez, “It is helpful to be resourceful. Community theater doesn’t provide a whole team of designers for the sound and set and costumes. For me, I like sound design; so I take on that task and get an engineer to help me with it. Other directors might like doing the set or the costumes. Everybody pitches in to make it the best show we cando.”
Gonzalez, who is director of education at Main Street Theater in Houston, said he lucked into getting PTG board member Cheryl Loudd as his stage manager when he directed “Miracle on 34th Street,” his first showat the Pearl.
“Cheryl is wonderful; so ever since, I always ask for her to be my stage manager,” he added. “Good stage managers are worth their weight in gold.”
Louddis the rare thespian who can stage-manage or direct.
“Directing can be daunting, but it’s a unique position as far as putting everything together, and it’s creative,” said Loudd, who directed “Death by Disco” at a Hilton Garden Inn in Pearland before the group found ahomeat the Pearl.
“Stage managing is more of an administrative thing,” she said. “It’s logistical. It’s making sure your i’s are dotted and t’s are crossed.”
Before taking on the task of directing, Loudd suggested, “It’s a good idea to shadow a director. Also, being an actor in a show can probably help. But some people have come in with no directing experience, and they got it initially.”
Hand is applying to re- turn next season to direct “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas” after helming the musicals “9 to 5” and “Tarzan” the past two years.
He said the stipend he received from PTG “covered expenses for gas and meals between rehearsals” for him while directing “Tarzan,” but hedecided to forego a stipend for “9 to 5.”
“PTG was a fledgling company; so I volunteered,” explained Hand, who has taught theater in secondary schools and is an adjudicator for University Interscholastic League one-act play competitions.
“Directors may submit up to three plays for consideration,” said PTG artistic director Renee van Nifterik. “We will first consider submissions that are family friendly and those with broad audience appeal. We are unable to produce un published works at this time.”
Nifterik added that the group is especially interested in producing musicals, larger-cast comedies, mysteries, farces, Christmas/holiday fare and theater for youth.
Potential directors are advised to complete the application at www.pearl- theater.com and include at least one copy of each proposed script.
Completed packets can be mailed to Pearland Theatre Guild, 11601 Shadow Creek Parkway Suite 111234, Pearland, TX77584, or they can be brought to the Pearl Theater. Call 832-4594674 to verify someone will be at the theater to accept your packet.