Summer on stage: Shawnee Little Theatre looks to new season, presents short play

The “soul-feeding” accomplished by theater never really has an off-season.
Shawnee Little Theatre will nourish its patrons again this week with its annual meeting, a short play, and announcement of a diverse upcoming season.
The SLT annual meeting starts at 7 p.m. Thursday at the community theater, 1829 Airport Road. With a new neighbor, the early childhood center, and new parking lot and lights, the SLT faithful are anticipating a year to relish.
“Someone told me that theater will feed your soul, no matter where you are. It gives you what you need,” said Rebecca Fry, outgoing board president of SLT. “We feel like that’s the case with Shawnee Little Theatre. There is nothing quite like it.”
Any season or patron ticket holder is eligible to vote for new board members at Thursday’s meeting, and the public is invited to attend. After a bit of business, including some long-range planning about building improvements, a 20-minute one-act play will be presented by local young thespians Jill Fry and Kendra Watkins. Titled “Things That Go Bump in the Night,” the plays demonstrates what happens when a person’s imagination runs away. Some insight about backstage life at theaters also is included.
Patrons also will hear about the 2008-09 season, which begins in late October and continues through next summer. Opening the season Oct. 24 is “Jekyll and Hyde: The Musical,” directed by Loree Hopkins with musical direction by Sara Moring. The show is the original Broadway tour version and tells of the epic battle between good and evil.
Next is “A Christmas Story” opening Dec. 5. The comedy is based on the movie of the same name, as well as the memoir by Jean Shepherd, “In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash.” The stage version closely follows the movie, set in the 1940s when 9-year-old Ralphie Parker yearns for a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas. Traci Guptill directs.
Opening Feb. 6, 2009, is “Inherit the Wind,” directed by Bob Wendland. The drama focuses on the events of the famous Scopes trial. Closing the season is the musical “Oliver” in June 2009. Directed by Trey Davis with musical direction by Carolyn Daugherty, the show is based on the Dickens novel and features such classics songs as “Food, Glorious Food” and “Consider Yourself.”
People can buy season ticket packages at Thursday’s meeting. Although they can be reserved through the run of the first show, early purchase is encouraged, Fry said. In addition to receiving a discount, season ticket holders are entitled to a priority reservation day to select the best seats. Package costs are $40 for season tickets; $35 for senior season tickets; $125 for patron tickets (two tickets and playbill listing); and $225 for business patron tickets (four tickets and playbill listing).
The SLT box office also has undergone a transformation in the last few years. The old paper ticketing system is gone, replaced by a computerized box office and capability for online reservations. This year, Fry and Steve Reese are co-chairing the box office.
“On the business side, it has made for more accurate reporting and tracking,” Reese said. “We can see graphically how much of the house is full, and our patrons enjoy the convenience of purchasing online. More and more, we’re seeing audience members from outlying areas, not just Shawnee, and we know that from the computer database.”
As community theaters go, Shawnee’s is among the most envied for its size, Fry said. Drama lovers from other towns have visited SLT and routinely admire its backstage space, three-quarter-round seating and volunteer base, she said.
SLT begin in 1967 and has provided seasons full of musicals, comedies, dramas and more. In 1976, the current building was completed, and a visit from actress Carol Channing solidified the fundraising campaign.
The theater also enjoys a longtime collaboration with students at Oklahoma Baptist University and St. Gregory’s University, as well as local high school students. Fry said that many young people who have performed or worked backstage at SLT have gone on to work professionally in theater, including Jess Speaker, who recently saw his Broadway debut as stage manager.
For more information about SLT, go online to www.shawneelittletheatre.com.