THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 8, 1995 TAG: 9510050216
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
SOURCE: BY JOHN HARPER, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Long : 189 lines
UNDER FLICKERING fluorescent lights in a vacant strip-mall store in Kitty Hawk, with an air conditioner struggling against the early evening humidity, the players and crew of the Theatre of Dare have gathered for the fourth rehearsal of their fall production, ``The Trip to Bountiful.''
Dare County's community theater has taken the challenge of bringing to life Horton Foote's 42-year-old play about a widow, living unhappily with family on the Gulf Coast of Texas, determined to return to her childhood home in Bountiful, Texas.
By all accounts, this is the 4-year-old theater group's most ambitious project. The 1953 Broadway production won acclaim for Lillian Gish, and the 1986 movie version won an Oscar for Geraldine Page. It's a character-rich play, dependent on the actors' skills.
Director Eric Hause, on this fourth night, has his actors reading lines from the script.
``Don't worry about lines,'' Hause says. ``Worry about movement.''
For this play, the theater group is using a minimalist approach to set design. In the storefront rehearsal hall, desks, tables, dressers and a bench are spread over the concrete floor.
Most of the play's action takes place on a bus, but there is no bus - another indication that this is an actor's play. The bench represents a two-person bus seat.
All of the props, some of which are antiques, are donations from Hotline and Bermuda Triangle.
``We depend on the kindness of strangers,'' Hause says, quoting from a Tennessee Williams play.
A real estate outfit from Virginia Beach donated the rehearsal space, and North Carolina Power turned on the electricity, waiving the deposit. That is the beauty of community theater.
The Theatre of Dare formed in 1992. Tom Charity, who plays a bus station ticket agent in ``The Trip to Boutiful,'' was one of the group's founding members. He has appeared in 10 of the group's 12 productions.''
Charity, 50, is a well-known local radio personality, currently heard on the morning show on country-formatted WRSF Dixie 105.7.
He has done community theater in Maine, Virginia, Rhode Island, Louisiana and New Jersey.
``I think we started out with about 12 people in this group,'' he says. ``We had no money and no equipment.''
With a jump-start from the established Outer Banks Forum, the theater group was launched in spring 1992 with a dinner theater production of Neil Simon's ``California Suite.'' With glowing reviews and a packed house every night, the group was quickly on its feet.
Since then, the troupe has presented a rich selection of plays, including ``Nunsense,'' ``The Foreigner,'' ``Crimes of the Heart,'' ``Play On,'' ``Mary, Mary,'' ``Anastasia,'' ``6 Rms Riv Vu,'' ``Barefoot in the Park,'' ``Picnic'' and ``Laura.''
Today, the Theatre of Dare is an independent nonprofit organization reliant entirely upon ticket sales, memberships and grants to cover operating costs. The organization is governed by volunteer officers and a board of directors.
Kathy Morrison is the current president. She says the group now has about 30 active members and a mailing list of 500, but she would like to see the group grow.
``We're looking for the right combination of people and circumstances,'' says Morrison, who joined the theater group after seeing an audition notice in the newspaper.
A number of local organizations have helped the Theatre of Dare: the Dare County Arts Council, the Outer Banks Community Foundation, North Carolina Power and the Nags Head Fire Department among them. Dr. Randall Latta of Manteo also has been a major contributor.
One thing the group needs is its own space. As it stands now, there is no place to store equipment and props.
Performances are staged at Manteo Middle School. But a permanent playhouse would be the ticket.
``A lot of theater groups use old warehouses,'' Morrison says. ``But real estate is different here because we are a resort area.''
So for now, the group rehearses in places like the vacant store in Kitty Hawk.
Hause has his actors rerunning the scene on the bus. He gives Jones some coaching.
``Remember, in conversation there are peaks and valleys,'' he says. ``This is a valley.''
In the scene, Mrs. Watts tells her new young friend Thelma about her flight from her son and daughter-in-law in Houston, and her wish to return to her beloved Bountiful. The son, Ludie, and the daughter-in-law, Jessie Mae, have contacted the local sheriff and asked him to be on the lookout for Mrs. Watts.
The scene is pivotal to the plot. Mrs. Watts tells the young woman about her homeplace and what this final trip means to her. Thelma, in turn, describes her life as a military wife. A bond slowly develops between the women. It's a poignant scene, full of talk of hopes and dreams, successes and failures.
As the actors replay the scene, the words come to life. Dot Jones is a revelation as Mrs. Watts. Sara Jane Kramer, as Thelma, starts really listening to her new friend.
Watching the rehearsal feels like eavesdropping.
After the runthrough, Hause tells the crew to take five.
Hause, ``The Lost Colony's'' marketing director, is directing his first play for the group. He joined in 1994. Before moving to the Outer Banks, Hause appeared in several East Carolina University productions: ``Barnum,'' ``Lil Abner'' and ``Yankee Doodle Dandy.''
Since joining Theatre of Dare, Hause has appeared in ``Barefoot in the Park'' and ``Picnic.''
And like the other group members, he sees a bright future for Dare County's community theater.
``The growth potential is unbelievable,'' Hause says. ``I'm really excited about this show.
``What's great about this show is the mixture of experience and newcomers. We had a lot of new people audition for the show.''
Hause says a record 150 people tried out.
Jones, who plays Mrs. Watts, recently moved to the Outer Banks from Virginia Beach. She was a 30-year member of the Little Theatre of Virginia Beach. Her husband, Dave, plays the sheriff.
Jones says she was pleasantly surprised to find such an active community theater group in such a small place.
``Eric and Kathy have done such a great job with organizing and designing,'' she says. ``We had props from day one. You don't normally see that in community theater.''
And how does Jones feel about her meaty Mrs. Watts role, her first lead part?
``I'm scared to death,'' she says.
But it doesn't show.
Hause reassembles the troops. The rehearsals run three hours, four nights a week until the plays open in November. In another week, the cast will be ``off-book,'' meaning the lines will be memorized.
But it's that sense of passion and dedication that keeps community theater going. That and a little audience feedback.
``The people that come to our shows, always come back,'' Morrison says.
The Theatre of Dare is alive and well. A new sound and lighting system was recently purchased. And there's talk of a permanent home. The theater group also is offering season tickets for the first time.
But the greatest indication of the group's health may be its choice of the challenging ``The Trip to Bountiful.''
``It's a rare community theater to take on a project like this,'' Charity says. MEMO: THE PLAY, THE CAST, & OTHER PLAYS
What: ``The Trip To Bountiful,'' directed by Eric Hause
When: Nov. 2-4, 10-12
Where: Manteo Middle School
The Cast:
Mrs. Watts: Dot Jones
Thelma: Sara Jane Kramer
Ludie Watts: Michael Allen
Jessie Mae Watts: Stephanie Spence
Houston ticket agents: Michael Hunter and Chris Markley
Harrison ticket agent: Tom Charity
Sheriff: Dave Jones
Extras: Diana Stewart, William Kania, Jewel Bond
COMING:Also in 1995-96:
The Rainmaker
Feb. 29, March 1-2, 8-10
Directed by George Spence
The Odd Couple
May 8-12
Directed by Janelle Austin
For information on the Theatre of Dare, call 441-3088 or write P.O.
Box 1927, Nags Head, N.C. 27959.
ILLUSTRATION: Color photo on cover by Drew C. Wilson
Staff photos by DREW C. WILSON
As the cast and crew look on, Dot Jones, left, and Sara Jane Kramer
rehearse a bus station scene in ``A Trip To Bountiful.''
Dot Jones, who has the lead role in the play, makes notes during
rehearsals.
Tape on the floor marks the boundary between the ``stage,'' right,
and the ``audience'' during rehearsals.
Eric Hause, who is directing the Theatre of Dare production of ``The
Trip To Bountiful,'' works on blocking a scene with Sara Jane
Kramer.
Chris Markley waits to deliver his lines, while daughter Leigh Ann
Markley does homework.
During a production meeting to hash out stage design, Butch Kenny,
center, listens to Julie Scheer, left, and Stacy Andrews describe
their ideas
for a backdrop.
by CNB