SIUSLAW NEWS | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21, 2021 | 7A
SHOW from page 1A
Members of the LRP
board met with Michael Fal-
ter, who, along with his wife
Susan Tive, owns City Lights
Cinemas, about using the
stage in the cinemas’ Chap-
lin Theater for a small-scale
production.
The movie theater has fol-
lowed all COVID-19 safety
guidelines to reopen, adapt-
ing both the interior and its
schedule to allow for maxi-
mum physical distance be-
tween people. Masks must be
worn at all times, and capac-
ity was limited depending on
the county’s COVID-19 risk
designation.
“They had already done
everything right to promote
their movies, so it was a done
deal for us,” Wellington said.
“People were using the the-
ater and comfortable with it.
And there was no question
— City Lights was following
all the guidelines.”
In addition, renting the
space for an event and selling
concessions would allow the
theater to bring in additional
money beyond the films it is
showing.
LRP made the decision to
perform at City Lights when
they realized the community
goes to pay for play royalties, can do this’ only to have to most flexibility. But a change
benefits.
According to LRP found- props, costumes and event cut it again. … It has been a in designation would limit
real exercise in seeing what is the audience capacity too
ing member Annie Schmidt, space.
LRP has performed shows possible. We were looking at much.
“We said, ‘We want to sup-
port you. We will do any- at several venues around going from a 40-person mu-
“We didn’t mind the
thing to help you keep this town, but its largest events sical to a two-person musi- 30-member audience; that
theater going.’ That was are always held at the Flor- cal, and still needing to have was fine, that would have
when we decided that if we ence Events Center. In fact, it be something that A) grabs worked. But when we get
could do a show there, we the event center is consid- you enough that you want to down to a 15-member au-
would.”
dience …” Wellington
It was a way to sup-
said. “As an audience
port Falter and Tive,
member, you want a
“Like the whole town, the Last Resort Players are ready certain critical mass
who have used the
to come roaring back — as soon as roaring back is
movie theater to host
before you feel com-
events for clubs and
fortable as a group to
practical and allowed.”
nonprofits, as well
react and respond and
— LRP President Jim Wellington
as creating events
take it all in.”
around films. The
Schmidt continued,
pair are also active
“And of course, the
community members and ered the “Home of the Last do it and B) you think it’s go- actors want that energy even
have volunteered on regional Resort Players.”
ing to grab an audience.”
more than the audience.”
committees.
For LRP, it was important
“We’ve always done a large
After more than a year of
“Michael and Susan have fall show there to involve as to keep community theater not being able to perform a
reached out to this com- many people as possible,” as a real experience.
stage production, the theater
munity just left, right and Wellington said.
“We were never, ever in- community is ready to come
center in every possible way
Casts in the fall musical terested in virtual theater,” back, once it is safe to do so.
they could,” Wellington said. are regularly more than 40 Schmidt said.
The LRP Board of Directors
Wellington added, “Last has met throughout the pan-
“We didn’t expect to make actors, musicians and stage
anything off of this, and the crew. Participants have year about this time, when demic, including over virtual
movie theater didn’t really ranged from 5 to more than things started going south, meeting platforms. Many of
either. We were doing this to 80 years old in one show we investigated all kinds of the greater LRP community
have something for the com- alone.
things and venues. We in- — cast members, stage crew,
The past year has been a vestigated the idea of having musicians — are “waiting in
munity.”
Schmidt added it was practice in refining expecta- people drive in and be able to the wings” for the next op-
more important for LRP to tions.
tune into the audio on their portunity to come together
“COVID hit, and we radios, doing it at the air- and create for the stage again.
have a theater performance
again than for the theater thought, ‘OK, well, there’s port or Miller Park. We did
LRP also stepped in last
group to make tons of mon- a nice little musical with 12 contingency plan after con- year to sponsor an event,
ey. Any money made by LRP people, we could do that.’ tingency plan, and our plans Schmidt said, since it would
And then COVID hit even just got whittled down to a be hosted outside, on the
harder … so I ended up toothpick. That’s what we’re streets of Historic Old Town
finding a lovely two person left with.”
Florence and at the Siu-
musical,” Wellington said.
Eventually the group de- slaw Pioneer Museum. LRP
“To take one vision and then cided that the structure of helped with the costumes,
cut it in half and say, ‘We BOATS would allow the banners, sashes and mono-
logues for August’s Women’s
Suffrage Parade.
In addition, the board is
preparing to hold auditions
for an event scheduled for
June at City Lights Cinemas.
Wellington will direct
“The Vagina Monologues”
for four showings at the cin-
ema — if COVID conditions
permit.
“Just the thought of hold-
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jazzed and excited,” he said.
“We want to do this. But we
have to do it safely.”
Depending on how au-
ditions go, the cast could
include four to ten actors.
Blocking on the stage will
allow for space between per-
formers.
“There is some group
work, but because it is built
around monologues, we can
still rehearse individually
and safely and then bring the
group together only when we
need to,” Wellington said.
“Plus, BOATS is pretty
much ready to go,” Schmidt
added.
The pair hope that by the
time June rolls around, events
will be possible. Not only will
it give residents something
to do — it could potentially
attract tourists and therefore
help businesses around town.
“It really does give you
some empathy for all the oth-
er business owners around
here that have had to be do-
ing this, too,” Wellington
said.
LRP is also looking at its
plans for a fall show, and
might shift to holding a win-
ter show, again depending on
conditions.
“Like the whole town, we
are ready to come roaring
back — as soon as roaring
back is practical and al-
lowed,” Wellington said.
For more information
about LRP, visit www.las-
tresortplayers.com and www.
facebook.com/Lastresort
players.
Editor’s Note: This story
is a companion piece to “The
Show Must (Not) Go On,”
which ran in the May 30,
2020, edition of the Siuslaw
News. Read the article at
thesiuslawnews.com/article/
the-show-must-not-go-on.
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