Orcas Island’s local playwrights’ festival sponsored by Actors Theater of Orcas Island begins at the Grange this Thursday night, April 30.
The festival was created to encourage local island talent to show off their skills, or to challenge islanders to develop new skills in writing, acting and directing. As with each year’s previous festivals, this year includes a mix of seasoned and new playwrights.
The seven short plays have varying themes ranging from a tense encounter in WWII Germany, to strange happenings at a compost pit, to a burglar who gets more than he bargained for during a break in.
Directors of the plays are Robert Hall, Ron Herman, John Mazzarella, and returning directors Doug Bechtel, Louise Carnachan, Tony Lee and Patty Monaco. New actors appearing in the festival are Colin Smith, Daria Stankevich, Luann Pamatian, Nichole Proffitt and MollyBee Welkin.
The plays will be presented at the Grange on Thursday, April 30, Friday, May 1, Saturday, May 2 and Sunday, May 3. All performances are at 7:30 p.m.
Following are synopses of the featured plays:
MollyBee Welkin and Bob Littlewood appear in "Bedside Manners" by Lin McNulty
Bedside Manners, written by Lin McNulty, directed by John Mazzerella and performed by MollyBee Welkin and Bob Littlewood. There’s much angst for these 80-year-olds as the recently widowed lovers test their first tryst at the local hotel.
Odysseus Domesticated written by Bill Westlake, directed by Patty Monaco and performed by Fred Vinson and Susan Kreiger. An interstate trip in search of adventure leads a middle-aged couple to the realization of what’s really important.
With Windows Painted Black, written by Gini Stern, directed by Tony Lee and performed by Kaitlyn Richards and Colin Smith. Truth and beauty conquer hate and tyranny.
Ron Herman and Nichole Profitt share a profound moment in Michele Griskey's play.
Still Life written by Michele Griskey, directed by Robert Hall and performed by Nichole Proffitt and Ron Herman. A play about two people, Laura and Joe, who find one another under a very extraordinary circumstance.
Snow White-Big Green written by Elsie McFarland, directed by Doug Bechtel, performed by Lin McNulty, Steve Henigson and Dove Dingman. A humorous look at Snow White after several years in the woods with the seven dwarfs.
The Birthday Present, written Ron Herman, directed by Louise Carnachan, performed by Ed Nebeker and Daria Stankevich. A young girl awakens to her own compassion and generosity at her birthday party.
Luann Pamatian, Suzanne Gropper and Annette Mazzarella perform in "Always Be Composting" by Terrel Kaplan
Always Be Composting, written by Terrel Kaplan, directed by Ron Herman and performed by Annette Mazzerella, Suzanne Gropper and Luann Pamatian. A tangled Orcas yarn involving compost pits, Master Gardeners, worms of a different color and — a dead body.
Louise Carnachan, organizer of this year’s festival, says, “I wanted to build on the good start the festival’s had in the past four years in bringing strong plays to the Grange audiences, and I wanted to present new actors to the stage. I think we’ve done both this year.”
Though some material may be too intense for younger children this remains a family friendly event and is $5 for adults and children. Tickets will be available at Darvill’s and the door. Nobody will be turned away for inability to pay.
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