A new staged play reading series kicks off later this month with a performance of the Broadway favourite Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
The dark comedy, written in 1962 by American playwright Edward Albee, portrays a bitter married couple in a searing night of dangerous fun and games with a younger couple.
The December 28 reading, directed by Michael Graham, will feature Jane Sinclair and Richard Rowberry as the older couple, and Carly Brandel and Terran Orletsky as the younger pair.
Adriana Bogaard received a grant from Columbia Basin Trust to produce the reading series.
“The idea is to give Nelson theatre lovers more opportunities to experience some of the world’s best plays” Bogaard says.
“At the same time community theatre artists get to share their love of these great works of art which, because of production costs and casting difficulties, might not otherwise be staged.”
Actors have a chance to get into the character as they read their parts from the script book and follow the basic stage direction.
“It won’t be the same as seeing the fully produced play, but it’s a lot better than sitting at home reading the play yourself,” Bogaard says.
It’s also a good opportunity for actors and directors to work on something short term between projects to keep their skills sharp.
“There’s lots of great local actors doing the readings,” Bogaard says. “It’s great for them because they can play the part without having to spend months rehearsing.”
The second play in there series will be Scorched by Quebecois playwright Wajdi Mouawad (Alphonse) on January 12, directed by Adriana Bogaard, and the final reading will be 12 Angry Men by Reginald Rose on January 25, directed by Bessie Wapp. The readings will feature some of our actors, such as Lucas Myers, Lisel Forst, Stephen Fowler, Brian d’Eon, Geoff Burns, Pat Henman, Michael Pearce, Bessie Wapp and many others.
All shows take place at 8 p.m. at the Old Church Hall, 602 Kootenay Street at Victoria Street. Tickets will be sold at the door only, for $12 per show or $30 for a full series pass.
Proceeds from these events will be donated to the Nelson Food Bank, the Kootenay Animal Assistance Program, and the Nelson and District Women’s Centre.