The Un-Common Theatre Company Celebrates 30 Years of Youth Community Theatre
By: Gabrielle Sierra May. 12, 2010
On Friday, May 21st, The Un-Common Theatre Company will present "The Un-Common Theatre Company's 30th Anniversary Gala Celebration" at the Orpheum Theatre, Foxboro. The Gala performance will include a fun mix of performances, improv, stories and a photo montage celebrating the many shows the theatre company's founders, talented young actors and volunteers have made possible over the past three decades.
In 1980, Southeastern Massachusetts lacked a solid community theatre, something that Doreen Tighe (Foxboro, MA) and Ann Kaufman (Mansfield, MA) set out to rectify. As Doreen remembers "There were no theatre companies in the area and our love for theatre and our community motivated us to begin a Production Company. We felt a theatre company would help to create a sense of community and be a great thing for the kids." Tighe recollects that both she and Kaufman received great support from the town of Mansfield, something that has held true to present times. During the first years, The Un-Common Theatre Company usually held one production a year; today the Production Company presents 4 - 5 productions a year for kids from ages 6 - 21 and, eleven years ago, expanded to include a now thriving teen improvisational group called "Improv Soup". "When I took the helm of Un-Common 7 years ago I was delighted to be able to help continue the legacy that had been left to the kids of this community. With my current Co-President Amy Van Dell, the hard working volunteer Board of Directors and dedicated creative and technical teams we look forward to keeping this important work going for many years to come" says Chris Lowey (Foxboro, MA) current Co-President.Videos
