Director Katherine Beeson

The theater lights dim, the curtain rises, the magic begins.

For me, nothing is more exciting than working behind the scenes to make that magic happen, even on a very small scale in community theater, where I work as an actor and director and have seen it all.

Community theater is sort of a maze; everything and everyone connect. Actors are no further apart that the “six degrees of Kevin Bacon” model. “What have I seen you in?” is a common icebreaker. Most of my close friendships started in the theater.

Working in community theater is wonderful, but it does have its drawbacks, beginning with auditions.

We work with amateur actors – in fact, Equity actors are not allowed in our productions. I can name some fantastic amateurs who for one reason or another have chosen not to pursue a career on the boards. But many not-so-fantastic people fancy themselves actors and show up at auditions. We handle them with kid gloves.

Directors can dismiss professionals after just a few words. “Thank you,” in a certain sing-song tone says “no way will I cast you.” And that’s that. In community theater, directors must be ever so polite and allow everyone multiple chances to read. At a West Side Story audition a number of years ago, I heard a woman tell the director that he should think “less Barbra Streisand and more Phyllis Diller”  as she sings. She did sound like Phyllis Diller. Ouch. But she got to finish her song.

Auditions for On Golden Pond, which I am directing for The West Allis Players, have gone well. Norman – the Henry Fonda part in the movie – was the part to get. Thirteen men read for it. A kid who read for the part of the boy, Billy, had a few lines in a recent film. Movie experience does not always mean someone will shine on stage, and I didn’t cast him.

I have been fortunate to be able to cast my shows with truly qualified actors. We’ve been better than barn-raising, church-group, “let’s put on a show” entertainment. It is not unrealistic to expect to a good show in community theater. Maybe not every show, maybe not every performer – but at least one scene, one song, one actor will shine.

Amateur actors’ lives do not revolve around getting that one big break – or if they do, your show is probably not it. Directors must accept that these actors will have rehearsal conflicts, nights when they have to work, or even that they might drop out of a show for personal reasons. Ego figures in every level of theater, even ours. I can never threaten that certain people “will never work in this town again,” because our small slice of show business is not their livelihood. I do, however, remember the actors I could not count on or whose theater work ethic, even on our small scale, left something to be desired. I simply don’t cast them again. I must, however, politely allow them to audition.

Golden Pond rehearsals have gone smoothly, though we have to adapt to other people’s schedules and to the conflicting purposes of our venues. Community theater groups often use school auditoriums and come in a distant second to school activities. We have rehearsed in cafeterias, tiny classrooms and even hallways.

The best rehearsal weeks occur when when the cast goes “off-book.” They’ve memorized their lines, put down their scripts and know the blocking (movement). I enjoy this time. That’s when the director can see the personality an actor brings to a role. This time can be the most fun. When actors flub a line or go blank, they can be exceedingly clever in coming up with words or deeds to fill the void. The other actors adapt to the unexpected change and either deftly steer the play back to where it needs to be, or they go with the flow and create a scene the playwright never dreamed of. Some of these early off-book rehearsals can be hysterically funny, and I’m almost sorry the audience can’t see some of them.

The laughs help, but bottom line, I direct  community theater for the goosebumps.

In On Golden Pond, Norman confesses to Ethel that he became lost and confused when he left to pick strawberries. He tells her that he came running back to her, where he would feel safe. Ethel reassures and comforts him. When my two actors, Glenn Villa and Carol Dolphin, rehearsed this scene, when “Ethel” hugged “Norman” and told him that together they would find more strawberries, that he would remember, that things would be all right, the tenderness between them gave me a chill.

Come to see our show. I’m betting that you’ll be impressed. You might even get goosebumps.

On Golden Pond runs at 7:30 p.m. April 8, 9, 15 and 16 and a 2 p.m. April 17, at West Allis Central High School Auditorium, 8516 W. Lincoln Ave. Tickets are $15, $13 for seniors and students, $8 for children under 12, at the door one hour before show time.