This is the Forty-Eighth article in a permanent column for Stroud Arts that appears in the Stroud American. The mission of these articles is to inform, educate and inspire you, the reader, to Make Art Happen in your life and the life of our community.
It is probably an understatement to say that ‘2020 was not what we expected.’ For Stroud Arts, our board had set, at our Annual Body of Work meeting, a production schedule of over 20 events and activities for the 2020 Season. We were moving well into preparation for our third event when everything came to a halt.
Even during the months of ‘shelter,’ we adapted to the situation and created the Facebook Livestream ‘Bedtime Stories.’ In that program we read traditional Fairy and Folk Tales to bolster the morale of our friends and families. The success of that production inspired our board to pursue similar programming for the future and now it is time to begin.
Many arts organizations around the state are opening their doors and getting back into production and therefore, it is time for Stroud Arts to get back to producing and performing art as well!
We are taking our cue from Theatre and Film companies in Tulsa, OKC, Muskogee and across the state as they open their doors once again.
However, we believe in ensuring the maximum amount of safety for all involved and will be fol lowing the protocols for performance as published by the State Film and Music Commission. These protocols are designed to provide a safe and healthy environment for our participants and patrons.
Our first project will be ‘Fairytale Reader’s Theatre.’ For this project we will be taking traditional fairytales, some familiar and others not so much, and having them read and performed by kids and teens as well as a few adults. There will be a live studio performance as well as live casting on Facebook and livestreaming on YouTube.
We are excited to be entering this new performance medium for the experience and training our performers will receive and to allow us to reach an audience that could not physically attend a live venue.
For those not familiar with the Reader’s Theatre style of performance, it relies more on vocal presentation and characterization than physicality and performers will be holding a script of the story rather than having lines memorized. Its more like Radio than TV.
Initial casting and performance orientation will be held on August 3, at 7 p.m.
Rehearsal schedule and performance date will be set at that time.
For those interested in performing, please contact us on the Stroud Arts Facebook Page or by phone at (405) 240-1025. We will have the project listed as an Event on Facebook, so you may reply there as well.
It is time to get back into production and … Make Art Happen.