Reaching the Edge

At the beginning of each year, the Bobcat Players present an outreach show to selected audiences. We believe that reaching out to new members of our community is an important part of our mission. Our shows have ranged from original murder mysteries to condensed comedies. Last year, we decided to take some of the best 10-minutes plays written in recent years to create What I Did for Love. This year, we scoured even more publications for award-winning one-acts--and assembled On the Edge.

You might be wondering how these shows come to life. First, our artistic director, Patti Ross, recruits a group of willing actors and then single-handedly spends countless hours reading material. After selecting her favorite pieces, she works with other members of the outreach committee to assemble a theme. Her next step is to contacts the playwrights in order to secure the rights. Next, she works on casting with help from her committee and a read-through is scheduled. At the read-through, each group of scene partners establishes availability for rehearsals and are responsible for working together for the next month. Last year, Ross wrote all of the scene transitions on her own, but this year, I worked with her to create a miniature story-line. In the two weeks leading up to the performance, the entire cast will come together to work on the show as a whole.

This year, we have four total performances scheduled for the last weekend of February and first weekend of March. Two of the performances are private, one will be benefit for the Monaca Library, and one will be in-house. Tickets will be available for our production at the Ed Schaughency Theater on February 23 at the Hostess Gift Shoppe. You can also reserve by calling our box office at (724) 494-1680. The production will begin at 7:30 pm and tickets are only $5!

On the Edge is comprised of half a dozen one-act comedies that examine a cast of improbable characters teetering on the edge of first love on the playground, showdown in a pizza parlor, and intrigue on the Orient Express. Here’s to an evening filled with proposals gone awry, ghosts gone Broadway, and a little serving of Elvis on the side. We hope that these fast-paced, fun-filled, unpredictable pieces keep all of you on the edge of your seats!

Stay tuned for our next blog post on February 15, where we announce the casts for our 2018 season!