Starkville Community Theatre prepares for national competition
PREPARES FOR NATIONAL COMPETITION
After winning multiple awards at both regional and state level competitions, Starkville Community Theatre is getting the last details together for their big trip to the national competition in Rochester, Minnesota.
This year is the fourth time Mississippi has had a community theater win the regional competition and move on to compete at the American Association of Community Theatre Festival (AACTFest). Out of the four years Mississippi has been represented, this will be Starkville's second time attending the national competition.
SCT will perform "Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike" by Christopher Durang at AACTFest.
The festival will take place during the week of June 26, and the SCT cast and crew will spend the entire week from their arrival on Monday, June 26 to their departure on Saturday, July 1, in Rochester.
SCT Chief Administrative Officer Gabe Smith said the estimated price of the trip is around $24,000. This sum amount factors in the costs of transportation of people and the set, room and board and registration fees. So far, the theatre has raised almost $18,000 for the trip.
Smith said the theater is grateful to many in the community who have contributed to the funds, including the Board of Aldermen, which gave the SCT $2,000 in May for the trip.
"It's great that we're taking something from home, here in Starkville, to the national stage," Smith said. "We wouldn't be going without community support. Starkville Community Theatre has lasted 40 years for a reason."
Smith said 95 percent of the funding has come from the community. On Tuesday, Chick-fil-A held a Spirit Night fundraiser for the SCT's trip.The theater also plans to host a fundraising event this weekend, calling contributors to the theater as well as posting updates on social media with Facebook Live, Instagram and Twitter.
SCT's production of "Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike" was originally a part of the theater's 2015-2016 season.
"The first production we did here at our playhouse was in February 2016 and had a very successful run," Smith said. "It came up as a suggestion to take to the festival since it was so popular at the theatre."
Smith said the show had a high turnout, despite the fact that it is over two hours long.
"People didn't notice the length, it was so well-done and so funny," Smith said.
At the Mississippi Theatre Association Festival in January, SCT won the awards for best production, best director, best actress, best supporting actor, an individual achievement in acting award and best costuming.
SCT then travelled to the Southeastern Theatre Conference's 2017 Festival in Lexington, Kentucky in March. There, SCT won the award for best production, best actor, two of the individual achievement in acting awards, best costuming and best ensemble.
The AACTFest will be a multi-day theater event. Smith said around two or three winners were selected for each regional competition, and that SCT will be one of around 15 shows in the competition.
SCT will leave for Rochester on Monday, June 26 for a roughly 14-hour drive. On Tuesday, the cast and crew will unload the props and set, all of which must fit in a 10-foot by 10-foot box in order to qualify for the competition. The performances will probably take place on Wednesday and Thursday, and awards will be given on Saturday.
Each show must be condensed into one hour in order to meet requirements for the national competition. In their allotted performance time, the crew will have 10 minutes to assemble the set, an hour to perform the show, and then another 10 minutes to pack the set back up.
Smith said the crew is looking forward to the trip. He said the cast for this show has been together since they began practicing for the February 2016 debut of the show, and has grown close through the state and regional competitions.
Smith said those going to the competition anticipate a busy week in Rochester.
"We will have a little time to see the area, but for the most part we're going to be doing set-up, working on our show and watching other shows from around the country," Smith said. "We hope to bring back more awards again, this year."