Review: THE BIG DAY at The Lantern Theatre

The Community Arts Association of Conway/The Lantern Theatre celebrated their 50th Anniversary Friday, Oct. 20, in Downtown Conway. Newly appointed President Trent Reese addressed the many friends and families that have supported and continue to support the thriving community theatre troupe and introduced his original play THE BIG DAY that was dramatically read to the partygoers. 

“I just want to take a second to thank everyone that helped get this started,” Reese said. “First to the Board of Directors for supporting this event, and second, to my partner in crime Vera who directed the reading. We've got Chloe and Neely and Brian and Bobby and Darby and Bob and Wendy and Jeff all reading in the show. I want to thank all of them for their time and talent and energy. They are incredible, and I'm so excited for you all to hear them read these characters that came out of my head. I also need to say with the content of the show, it can give a little heavy. This is absolutely not autobiographical, and I feel like I need to say that, because I also need to thank my mother and father who are in the room tonight, and so this is not autobiographical.”   

As part of their fundraising, Reese suggested that the patrons buy raffle tickets for a chance to win prizes. The University of Central Arkansas donated four tickets to their production of Murder on the Orient Express, and the Red Curtain Theater donated two VIP tickets to their next season, which will be announced in December. 

To continue on with the celebration, Vice President Vera Lambert spoke of her adoration of The Lantern Theatre and her joy of being the director of they play. 

“I remember seeing Lantern shows as a kid, seeing the kid shows back in the day, and they just can't get rid of me,” Lambert recalls fondly. “So, it's been an honor to direct this play, and that sounds like a little bit of nepotism because we are on the board, but it is our play.” 

After Lambert talked about the importance of locally written and produced shows that reflect the people of the community, Stage Text Reader Chloe Showalter began the reading.   

Jon (Bobby Simpson) and Paul (Brian Smith) are getting married and end up in the same room that Jon rents where other life changing moments have taken place. It is the room where Jon partied with his friends Sophie (Darby Lytle) and Xan (Neely Caudle) and had his first real kiss with Tom (Bob Lytle), which is when his parents Kathy (Wendy Shirar) and Keith (Jeff Ward) had to acknowledge that their son was gay. Instead of hanging with his friends in the room, Jon goes home with his parents. During the next time that Jon and his friends are in the room, he learns that Tom killed himself shortly after Jon went to a conversion camp. Fast forward to the wedding day, Jon and Paul are getting ready to be married and Jon’s mother comes by to be part of the celebration. Jon rejects Kathy, but before she leaves, she tells him she is dying. At the final time in the room, Jon’s father Keith brings Jon a note his mother wrote him and leaves.  

Though this play definitely had some very low moments emotionally, the takeaway from it was about living your truth and finding the family that loves you for you. “This play is about utilizing found families to heal,” Playwright Reese said, and I believe his vision was well conveyed through the reading.  

Because it was a reading, the actors were comfortably in their chairs, but the sentiment of the story was still achieved. Simpson’s emotions emitted a person going through lifelong trauma. His character went through all the emotions-anger, sadness, confusion, regret, happiness, contentment, and ultimately love. Smith, Caudle and both of the Lytle’s characters were there for support. The true drama came from Shirar’s Kathy and Ward’s Keith. It was obvious through Shirar’s portrayal that Kathy was only wanting the greater good for her family and what she thought was right. Ward’s Keith was abrasive and enraged with generational hate. Ward’s commitment to his character was noticeable through the veins coming out of his head even when he wasn’t reading lines. The anger vibes radiated all the way to the back of the room. I knew I wasn’t going to like him, but whew! He sold his character.  

At the moment, there isn’t anything announced, but I hear they are working on something, so follow them on their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/conwaylanterntheatre to see what’s next. 

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