The Lubbock Community Theatre

If you read last week’s blog, you know I attended a writing workshop presided over by Jaston Williams and that I promised more information about the Lubbock Community Theatre, where the workshop was held. So, here we go-

The organization known as the Lubbock Community Theatre has been around since 1950, although local community theatre productions date back to the ‘40s. LCT as we know it today was incorporated in 1989 and is a non-profit organization that depends on ticket sales, grants, endowments, and underwriters to keep things going.  The mission of LCT is to do just what their name implies: promote and produce community theatre, and, as I was told, keep community in community theatre. They have been housed in several places around town, but their current home is at the corner of Boston and 43rd Street, in what I was told was the first strip mall in Lubbock. They started out in a small portion of the repurposed (the new politically correct term for recycled, I have noticed) building, gradually expanding into adjoining floor space, and now have quite an expansive set-up, with all the necessary areas for a theatre company, including a “Green Room” where the actors wait for their stage entrances.

The workshop participants relax in the Green Room before our performance.

We needed no props for our presentation other than the table provided for those who might rather sit down while giving their piece. We did get the full treatment of stage lights upon us, so now we can say we performed under the bright lights!

The theatre as it now stands was built by the hands of many volunteers. The sound and lighting booth was already in place; the stage and risers were installed when LCT moved to the building. The seating capacity of the theatre itself is 65.

Backstage, seen here, was cluttered with the props needed for the play the group is now working on, All In The Timing, so that we could have the stage for our workshop presentation.  I suspect all backstages would look cluttered to those of us not familiar with theatre; it’s the nature of the beast. I found all the rooms behind the stage to be interesting and fun because it was all so new to me.

I’m sure this makeup and dressing area is much more exciting the night of a production.

Patti Campbell works in a far corner of the Green Room. Her work is never-ending and constant as each play needs its own unique wardrobe, which she turns out quickly and beautifully.

Jay Brown and his wife Pam have been involved in LCT productions for many years in a variety of jobs.

Lubbock Community Theatre is a labor of love for all those involved, from the board of directors to Patti Campbell, the wardrobe/costume wizard, John Packard, the office assistant, as well as Jay Brown  the managing/artistic director who happens to hold the only paid position, a move that became necessary to ensure the success of the organization. That having been said, John’s job is a part- time paid position, Patti sometimes gets paid for more challenging wardrobe assignments, actors and directors get some reimbursement, so when the occasion calls for it, money does change hands. But after talking to those committed to the cause, I can assure you passion for theatre and not money is the reason they do it.

The board or directors serve two-year staggered terms, and many have been on the board for what seems like forever because they enjoy what they do. New people are added, too, when circumstances create a need. De Lyn Wolcott is this year’s board president who guides board members Andy Rasa, Lonny Howell Fox, Kevin Ten Eyck, Gloria Mason, Donna Hopkins, Kimberly Ansolabehere, Jana Barnhill, Robert Barnhill, Pam Brown, James Bush, Julie Harris, C. Kevin Helmer, Chris Kabes, Todd Klein, Ida Esquivel Rasa, Ashley Rhodes, and Ruth Schiermeyer.

LCT  stages five productions a year, along with what is called the second season, which consists of a children’s play and a Christmas play. A play selection committee is appointed to come up with a list of five plays they think will be interesting, challenging, and that reflect community standards, but have been known to sometimes push the envelope a bit, with plays such as The Laramie Project.  And occasionally a classic will make an appearance, like The Crucible. The agreed-upon list then goes out and interested directors and actors magically appear. Productions usually run for three week-ends straight, so a theatre-goer has many chances to catch one of the plays.

So if you are in need of a night out and tired of the same old movies, try a local version of Broadway. Check out the website www.lubbockcommunitytheatre.org for a schedule of upcoming productions, ticket information, as well as a look at some previous plays, more information about the organization, and information about their youth theatre program. Jay Brown can also be reached most mornings at 806-749-2416 to answer your questions.

Then break out the dress clothes and treat yourself to a LCT production. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised and definitely entertained.

Thanks to Jay Brown, Pam Brown, Jim Bush, Patti Campbell, and all those who helped provide information for this article.

Jaston Williams Comes to Town

Jaston Williams of Greater Tuna fame, was in Lubbock this past weekend to conduct a writing workshop, The Art and Heart of the Story, hosted by and held in the Lubbock Community Theatre at the corner of Boston and 43rd Street. (More about LCT next week.) I couldn’t afford to pass up an opportunity to study and work with an author/playwright who has performed on Broadway, in Europe, twice played the White House, written and acted in a variety of productions, had an HBO special-in other words, a real live famous creative artist with whom I had a chance to work. So of course I did. Well, not before talking it over with Colten since it would involve missing one of his football games, in which he saw lots of playing time and that they won. But I digress.

Jaston grew up in Olton, Texas,  where his grandparents were some of the first settlers in Lamb County. At sixteen the family moved to Crosbyton, Texas, where he finished high school. He attended Texas Tech, and majored in theater arts, although he said he really had seen himself as a writer, not an actor, but life, as they say, had other plans. What should have been his senior year at Tech he spent in San Antonio with the First Repertory Theatre Company, which started what Jaston smiled and called his Bohemian decade. He bounced around Austin, San Antonio, Taos, and San Francisco.

Somewhere during that time he met Joe Sears in San Antonio, and they came up with  Greater Tuna, which went on stage for the first time in Austin in 1981. A New York critic just happened to be in town and saw the show; within a year Vera Carp, Pearl Burras, Didi Snavely, and the whole crew opened in New York. The Tuna phenomenon then toured for the next 30 years and during that time Tuna Christmas, Red and White Tuna, and Tuna Does Vegas were created. It has been quite a run.

Jaston and Joe Sears decided to retire the Tuna series, and  Jaston, at 61,  is ready to slow down a bit and do other things, like conducting more writing workshops and enjoying time with his family in their newly purchased home in Lockhart, which still keeps him close to his beloved and inspiring  Austin.  He is currently touring  a new one-man show, Camping with Gasoline, is working on a novel, and will star in another  one-man show about Truman Capote, Tru, written by Jay Presson Allen, opening in Austin on January 15 and running until March 5th.

Jaston wanted us to be inspired to write from real life experiences, which we did. As a group we discussed and shared ideas, wrote several drafts and rewrites, and on Sunday afternoon, read our pieces to an audience of about 40 friends, family,  and Lubbock Community Theatre board members. I think we all broadened our writing skills, and for those of us without a theatre background, like me, it was fun to perform under the lights.

As we worked, Jaston came around and looked at our progress and gave suggestions and direction for our piece.

We shared as we made changes and edited our work.

Not surprisingly, all of us were from the Lubbock area, even John from Paris, who grew up in Childress, which is not exactly Lubbock, but the general area.  Most were involved in or had been involved in some way in education, usually connected to theater arts or UIL literary events, which I didn’t find surprising, either.

Andy Rasa practices at the dress rehearsal on Sunday.

The rest of the group waits their turn to practice under the lights.

Our group portrait-front row, left to right: Sylvia Ashby, Lubbock; Pam Brown, Lubbock; Jaston; Yours truly, Muleshoe; Amber Patrick, Lubbock. Back row, left to right: John Wright, Paris, Texas; Andy Rasa, Lubbock; Tony Thornton, Lubbock; Kevin Helmer, Lubbock; Jim Bush, Lubbock, Rachel Morrison, Plainview; Joan Sears, Lubbock; Cynthia Davis, Lubbock; Kathryn Rainwater, Lubbock; and Cindy Campbell, Lubbock.

A tremendous amount of talent was displayed by this group, and we produced a variety of topics and styles in our writing; drama, satire, humor, a bit of history., remembrances, a letter home, even a song. The settings ranged all the way from Africa to Viet Nam to Louisiana to North Carolina and back to Texas and our hearts. See, aren’t you sorry you weren’t there to see what you could come up with?

My condolences to those of you who did not have the chance to meet and laugh with the residents of Tuna, Texas. But if you want to get to know one of their creators and develop your writing skills at the same time, perhaps you’ll have the chance to attend a writing workshop hosted by Jaston one of these days.

Who knows where it might take you.

My thanks to Jaston for graciously allowing me to interview him and to all the workshop participants who patiently let me bug them for information and  take pictures of them. Thanks to the Lubbock Community Theatre and their board members for sharing their facility and time with us.