Local community theaters in need of volunteers

Behind every community theater production is a crew of volunteers who have made it all possible.

From those on stage to those sewing costumes, running the sound board and even answering the phone calls in the box office, volunteers are the heart and soul of community theaters. In Washington, the Washington Community Center is designated as the home venue for community theater production.

Cat Nelson, the theater manager, is the only full time employee on staff. A part-time staff member is employed to take care of the costume collection because pieces can be rented out for parties and other productions, she said. However, the title of theater manager is not as cut and dry as it sounds, Nelson said.

'The community theater does three full time productions but the building itself has 30-40 events a year,” she said.

When the theater troop is not in the building, it gets rented out to various dance studios and schools to use, she said. Because there is only one full time employee, the rest of the time the theater depends on volunteer, she said.

In Fairfield, two different venues are used depending on the time of the year. Fairfield Area Community Theater (FACT) Board President Diana Flynn said in the winter the shows are done at the Walton Club and in the summer at the Sondheim Center for the Performing Arts.

Rehearsals are done in churches and sometimes at the high school, she said. The organization is entirely volunteer based with a board that oversees it all. One of the members is the designated set builder while the rest help out with various roles such as costuming, construction, lights and sound.

Currently the Washington Community Center is looking for box office volunteers to answer the phones, sell tickets and assist customers.

'We try to have (the box office) open for two weeks before opening night and then through the run every afternoon,” Nelson said.

People who are interested in PR and advertising are also needed to help get the word out, she said. On the stage, the actors need a set to work with and that is all built by volunteers as well.

'Everything that we do that is technical there is a design position and then the actual building and doing of the work,” she said.

Those two groups have to work together and come together during public open calls on Saturdays three weeks before the show opens.

'I can pretty much find a job for anybody's skill level but we're also willing to teach,” she said. Nelson said scene painting is her specialty and having someone else she could rely on to help would be beneficial.

Mark Kimzey, board president of the Mt. Pleasant Community Theater, said volunteers run the show for their theater as well. All performances are done in the Heatilator Performing Arts Center.

There are no full time employees with the organization and everyone works together to make productions a success.

Those who can build sets are needed in Mt. Pleasant and Fairfield as well. Both Kimzey and Flynn agreed that those with no experience are welcome as long as they are willing to learn.

'People get the idea that it's all about the actors. It's really not. We couldn't do it without all the people behind the scenes,” Flynn said.

In the case of musicals, there are places for people who play instruments, she said. Orchestra members, band members and even rehearsal pianists are always needed.

Although it is a massive undertaking, Flynn said those who get involved feel theater becomes a family experience where no matter what walk of life you come from, there is a place for everyone.

'It is a community theater so everyone is an amateur and it's just for the love of doing theater,” she said. 'We're doing it because we love doing and it and we can't do it anywhere else so we love to volunteer our time.”

Above the stage, the lighting and sound all need to be designed and operated by technicians for each show, Nelson said. Time requirements can vary from just a few hours a week for working in the box office to every night for backstage crew or running a lighting board.

Flynn said the same need exists in Fairfield with people who are willing to learn to hang lights and design them as well as operate them. Because they move from various theaters, the equipment needs to be moved as well.

Kimzey reported the same problem existing in Mt. Pleasant. There is one designated person, but more are needed to as backup in case one person is unable to make it.

Those interested in performing are always need as well, Flynn said. Although it can be a big time commitment, bringing in new faces and actors willing to help put on the show are always encouraged.

'Theater is such a wonderful art form and our main goal is to involve people who don't normally get to do this but who might like to do this. It's not just about stage work, but it's such a wonderful way to make friends and be involved in the community,” she said.