As the Evergreen Players get back to live theater productions, the organization has found community interest in more adult acting classes.
“Now we have even more emphasis on adult education,” said Kathleen Davis, who serves on the Evergreen Players board. “That seems to be what the community is asking for.”
Davis believes the change is due to the pandemic and people looking for other ways to connect. The organization still has a variety of child and teen acting opportunities.
In addition to the staged reading of “A Christmas Story” this month, the Players are set to open a small theater space on Meadow Drive next to Evergreen Christian Outreach. Davis said the small theater will allow the actors to present performances in a more intimate setting — a theater that seats 35 people.
People with or without experience should take a class and try acting, Davis said.
“We want people to come and play,” Davis said. “They don’t have to have a theater resume or a headshot or anything intimidating. We are really promoting that we want local talent.”
Tal Arnold, the Players’ education director, said he is offering acting classes for novices to veterans. In one class for novice actors, he tailored the performances to the participants’ acting abilities and interests. The master classes teach more involved acting techniques, plus the Players are offering writing and tech classes.
Davis says Evergreen Players hopes to provide more community outreach in the spring “so people know we’re here.” The group will do an evening of Irish plays in March, and it hopes to provide acting demonstrations around town to expand people’s awareness.
“We hope to involve more people that way,” Davis said. “It’s a fun time, and it’s neat to do different things.”