Live theater is back: PACT presents original one-acts May 8-9

The short one-act plays are, “When I Lived In A Yellow Submarine” written by Stanley Toledo, and “All You Get” by Barbara Lindsay. Actors Lynda Dallman, Richard Withers, Kathy Williams and Bill Weiler have been rehearsing via Zoom, with the assistance of director Gary Young and tech guy Dan Ball.

Stanley Toledo’s short plays have been performed in the U.S. and aboard, said a press release. Recent productions include Gun Jr. Leaves Home, staged at the Underexposed Theatre’s New Writing Festival in London, and The Snake Charmer presented at the Acorn Theatre’s second annual Spectacular Tournament of Playwrights in Three Oaks, Mich. He lives in the California delta. 

Barbara Lindsay’s first full length play won the NY Drama League’s 1989 Playwrighting Award and was given its premiere performance in London in 1991. Since then there have been more than 400 productions of her plays, screenplays, and monologues on every continent except Antarctica, said a press release

Prior to the Coronavirus lockdown, PACT was conducting the Pacific Northwest Playwrights competition, which received 45 entries. Plans included a performance of the winning plays and an awards ceremony in October. The closing of theaters forced some changes, although PACT hopes to hold the October event if circumstances allow, said a press release.

While putting their fall plans on hold, the PACT board decided to go ahead with a performance of two of the top ten plays, with the playwrights’ permission. Although the final winners have not been selected, “All You Get” and “Submarine” were selected because they lend themselves to the online format.

The format is different, but director Gary Young said he thinks the intention of performing a play remains the same.

“I’ve directed a number of community theater plays. In each I’ve always sought to find the heart of the audience and encouraged the actors to do the same. Now, comes our first Zoom production. The goal is the same, it’s just a new format with its own inherent problems and possibilities. Enjoy the show,” he said.

Actor and retired psychologist Kathy Williams said, “Actors get energy from the audience so rehearsing then recording this show in isolation has been a peculiar experience. Under any other circumstances, sitting in my kitchen and emoting to a screen for hours would indicate dysfunction. Now the same behavior is an effective coping skill.”

So, plan to spend a “Night at the Theater at Home” by dressing up, serving yourself a glass of wine or sparkling water, and attending the  online performance on May 8 or 9, said the press release.