One acts offer opportunity for new directors

They work hard throughout their regularly scheduled programming to bring quality theatre to the people of Vernon, and their off season is no different.

Vernon鈥檚 Powerhouse Theatre is gearing up for An Evening of One Acts Dec. 7-9, featuring first-time directors Kristine Larsen with Rich Orloff鈥檚 The Whole Shebang and Keyanna Burgher with her original production Him & Her.

鈥淥ur regular season is three full-length plays, but we try out best every second year to offer an evening of one acts, offering new directors the opportunity (to take charge),鈥� Larsen, the society鈥檚 past president and current member, said.

The evening is also an opportunity for all kinds of firsts, including for stage managers and principle actors.

鈥淚t allows us to try things on for the first time,鈥� Larsen said. 鈥淭his is our chance.鈥�

Directors for the evening, which falls on the heels of Powerhouse鈥檚 commissioned performance of Sveva, were chosen by the society鈥檚 artistic committee through an application process.

鈥淢ostly what I鈥檝e done here (with Powerhouse) is stage managing,鈥� Larsen said. 鈥淭hat progressed to assistant directing and I was really excited about the idea of starting on my own.鈥�

Burgher, a new member of Powerhouse Theatre, is no stranger to theatre herself, hitting the stage as principle characters in Big Apple Productions鈥� Chicago in June and the Rocky Horror Show in October.

鈥淢y mom is a director, so I grew up around theatre,鈥� Burgher said. 鈥淚鈥檝e always done lots of things with kids, and I鈥檝e done a lot of coaching. Directing is something I鈥檝e always wanted to do, and I am interested in doing it as a career one day. In the meantime, this has been a great opportunity and I would love to continue doing things here 鈥� it鈥檚 a wonderful community.鈥�

Hitting the stage for the 265th time, Larsen said, The Whole Shebang is a comedy that asks the question, 鈥淲hat if the entire universe was just some nerd鈥檚 science project?鈥� Rooted in a classroom setting, the performance follows a student giving a presentation on his unusual thesis regarding creation.

Him & Her, on the other hand, is Burgher鈥檚 original drama written in 2014 that follows the high and low points of a relationship and life鈥檚 looming expiration date.

鈥淭hey鈥檙e very different shows,鈥� Larsen said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be a wonderful evening.鈥�

But, with only a five week rehearsal period, the short productions wouldn鈥檛 have been possible without the support of the theatre and Larsen and Burgher鈥檚 mentor, Sarah (Scotty) McLean.

鈥淗aving the team is so important. Yes, I鈥檓 very comfortable, but this is the first time doing it,鈥� Burgher said. 鈥淓veryone around Powerhouse is chipping in and helping out.

鈥淚t鈥檚 very much put on by the whole community.鈥�

An Evening of One Acts overtakes Powerhouse Theatre Dec. 7-9, with performances at 7:30 p.m. Two one act plays are on offer: The Whole Shebang 鈥� a whimsical comedy that asks the question, 鈥淲hat if the entire universe was just some nerd鈥檚 science project?鈥� And Him & Her, which follows the highs and lows of a relationship as they navigate through familiar arguments and the difficult nature of truth. Tickets are $18, available through the Ticket Seller, 250-549-7469, www.ticketseller.ca.