The Sauk's Plays-in-Development Adds Youth Written Scripts

In addition to their season of plays and musicals, The Sauk, Hillsdale County's Community Theatre, is dedicated to developing new theatrical works. The Sauk's eleventh annual "Plays-in-Development" will be presented July 11 and 12 at the Sauk Theatre in Jonesville. This year's event also includes two plays written by local youth.

Started in 2015, "Plays-in-Development" is a unique project to help playwrights develop their scripts. Actors and directors work one on one with playwrights to learn what works and what does not work about their plays. During rehearsals, the playwrights make changes to their scripts. The project ends with free staged readings for the public. After the readings, the audience is given an opportunity to respond to what they have heard. Therefore, the playwrights end the process with ideas from directors, actors and audience. This year's submissions included a large number of plays written by local youth.

"As the program has grown, we are starting to get submissions from all over the world," said Sauk Executive Director Trinity Bird, who coordinates the program. "Although we continue to make local playwrights a priority, we have received scripts from almost all 50 states and eight foreign countries. Our play selection committee reviewed all of these submissions and ultimately selected the scripts we will be working on this year."

"This led to us adding what we are calling 'Plays-in-Development Jr.'," Bird added. "We are excited to encourage the next generation of writers. In addition to the full process, the junior playwrights will also have a professional playwright to serve as a mentor throughout the process. Both mentors have had plays in The Sauk's Plays-in-Development in the past."

The Friday, July 11 line-up includes "Killing It" by Rebecca Kane of Astoria, NY and "The Following is Based on a True Story" by Meghan Barnes of Hillsdale. The readings begin at 7:30 p.m.

In "Killing It," emerging stand-up comedian Jon is set to be featured in local reporter Rachel's article about the intersection of comedians and trauma. This breakthrough moment would be scary, but at least he has his Best Friend and roommate, fellow comedian Andy, to lead him through it and work with him on new jokes. Everything seems to be working out... too bad Andy's been dead for months.

"Killing It" is directed by Savannah Bruton. The cast consists of Danielle Allore-Taylor, Dylan Collier, Josh Lightner and Darren Taylor.

In "The Following is Based on a True Story," representatives from "Dorothy's House," a Wizard of Oz museum a few miles down the road, show up to picket the flashy "Oz Museum," which they deem a den of lies. These women are the proprietors, so they say, of the true Wizard of Oz museum. In fact, they are the relatives of the original Dorothy, and though they may disagree about their family's lore, they know that this fake museum with its movie paraphernalia, bedazzled owner and two costumed, doting daughters is not only taking money rightly theirs - it is propagating the wrong story! When a couple shows up to visit "Oz Museum," they must decide whose museum to support. The descendants of Dorothy and Aunt Em have a twister up their sleeves that will leave everyone wondering: were they telling the truth all along?

"The Following is Based on a True Story" is directed by Jennifer Wagler. The cast consists of Olivia Dube, Rickie Freeman, Jeff Gray, Summer Housler, Mandee Leigh Howard, John Kasper, Liza Mumme and Whitney Swance.

The two youth-written scripts will be read at 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 22. The scripts are "Places!" by Eleanor Gray of Jonesville and "The Albino Woman of the Kaw River Valley (DUN DUN DAAAAAH!) by Henry Beier of Hillsdale. Matthew Weaver will mentor Gray and Pearl Moore will mentor Beier.

"Places!" takes place ten minutes to places for the opening night of "The Butler Did It!" and Sophie, a new actress, worries about what could go wrong. Violet, a veteran actress, gives her soothing advice to calm her nerves and put on a great performance.

In "The Albino Woman...," Ron and Randy visit an old woman to confront their fear of the legend surrounding her, but she is not what she seems, and it will turn out to be a night they will never forget. Dun dun daaaaa!

"Places!" is directed by Chris Dube and features Diane Langan, Elizabeth McNair and Rachel Miller. "The Albino Woman..." is directed by Tim Ambrose. The cast consists of Eric Baumgartner, Anne Conners, Bruce Crews, Connor Ganzel, Heather Hemingway, Everett Pendergrass, Hanna Ritchey and Jacob Weldon.

On Saturday, July 22, at 7:30 p.m., "Discards" by Robert Weibezahl of Westlake Village, Calif. will be read. The reading is directed by Sarah Gray and the cast consists of Andrew Davis, Mary Davis, Sandi Miller and Harland Wood.

In "Discards," Mari and Lloyd, two widowed retirees, volunteer at a charity thrift shop. Everything is humming along without incident until two new volunteers arrive. Spark is a smart but troubled teenager who has been sentenced to community service for a crime he says he didn't commit. Cherry is a recent divorcee looking to fill some time. The dynamics in the shop shift, with Mari resenting the intrusion on her territory (and her designs on Lloyd). Tension is not far from the surface, and then something goes missing and things turn ugly. A lighthearted romantic dramady about aging, friendship, trust ... and love.

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