One-act plays set for Center Stage
By Becky Barclay
Published in News on June 6, 2018 5:50 AM
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Kenan Stewart, Keith Davis and Patricia Barta rehearse "The Three Bears," choreographed by Gene McLendon.
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Linda Sampson, Aeris Carter and Debbie McLendon are shown in "The Curious Wall," written by Gene McLendon.
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The play "11:55 a.m." by Kenan Stewart features Rosanna Anderson, Nan Edmundson, Debbie McLendon, Ben Sornyota, Krais Brown, Banks Peacock and Linda Simpson.
Local people will showcase their talents during Center Stage Theatre's Evening of One Act event, to be held Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the Wayne County Museum.
Tickets are $5, available at the door or at the Paramount Theatre.
"When you think of a typical theater-going experience, you may think of seeing a musical, a drama, a farce or a classic, but when it comes to an Evening of One Acts, the experience will be anything but typical," said Phyllis Brown with Center Stage Theatre.
This is the eighth year for the event.
Since it started, there have been a variety of stories every year from gifted writers performed by some of the best entertainers with Center Stage Theatre.
"Each year is a different experience due largely to just how wildly different each of the One Acts featured can be," Brown said. "This year is no exception."
Audience members will see a creative retelling of the writing of the Ten Commandments, a Wild West shootout, a dog show that takes an unexpected turn, a woman lamenting her lost love, a reimagining of "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" and an epic game of rock, paper, scissors -- plus a lot more.
Gene McLendon oversees the One Acts every year, and this year, he is directing several.
He also wrote a number of One Acts that are being performed.
Crystal Hodges helped choreograph the pieces set to music.
"This year is interesting, as well, because multiple writers of the One Acts will also be performing in some of them," Brown said.
"Aeris Carter, Brian Shook and Kenan Stewart will all wear multiple hats, serving as actors and playwrights."
She said the One Acts is different because it's not one continuous story with the same set of characters throughout the evening, but a collection of smaller comedies, dramas and pieces set to music.