The Sauk to Present Plays-In-Development This Weekend

The Sauk, Hillsdale County's community theatre, will continue their commitment to developing new plays with readings of four new works this weekend.

The Sauk will present Plays-In-Development at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, July 7 and Saturday, July 8. This is a free event. Donations will be taken. The production is sponsored by Gossage Eye Institute and Optical.

During rehearsals, the cast and directors have worked with the playwrights to improve their scripts. Many times the actors are presented with updated scripts at each rehearsal. Following the public readings, the audience is invited to participate in talkback discussions with the playwrights.

The following plays will be performed Friday, July 7:

- "Trees" by Penny Neer of Hillsdale. "Trees" is the unique story about a man and his best friends, two white oak trees. Between the trees' growth rings, life lessons are learned. Josh Hall directs.

- "On Art" by Josh Oberlander of Atlanta, GA. Set in 1890's Vienna, "On Art" tells the story of a sheltered girl who falls prey to her curiosity after her family takes in a mysterious artist. Angela Forant directs.

The following plays will be performed Saturday, July 8:

- "Twelve Wild Swans" by Kathryn Willis of Lansing. Based on the Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale "The Wild Swans," "Twelve Wild Swans" reimagines the story with a modern twist. Mari Nunez directs.

- "The Flower Girls" by Lindsay Patton of Fletcher, NC. "The Flower Girls" is a play about three sisters who are at their own personal crossroads when they return to their home for their parents' 30th anniversary. Kristin Hood directs.

Complete cast lists and more information about Plays-In-Development can be found at www.thesauk.org. No tickets are necessary. The lobby will open one hour prior to performances with seating beginning at 7 p.m. each night.