April 2007 Newsletter

Our Artistic Director, Heather Wilson, has been with us for 10 years now. As we bring an end to our 31st seasaon, we thought you all would like to learn a bit more about her.

You have a long history with OCT and the building we are in now. Tell us a little about that.

The Big Red Church Building and I have had a long relationship. I remember attending church services from the age of 5 and sleeping on my Dad's lap while my Mother sang in the choir and later on I passed notes to my still best friend Katherine. In the rooms on the third floor of the Annex building where I now sort, hang and store costumes I learned Bible verses and made arts and crafts with Popsicle sticks and paper doilies. Downstairs in the Fallout Shelter Theatre I was in the angel choir (because redheads don't get to play Mary ;>) and later when I was in college I drove back and forth to perform Agnes in Agnes of God on that same stage. We also held sleep overs down there and we played "light as a feather stiff as a board" and it worked! I loved singing in my youth choir which was held in the dressing rooms and we were spooked even then of the Blind Hallway beside the Dance Hall. I was kissed onstage as Muriel (Ah, Wilderness) by my first love, Jim Roof Jr., at 15. I tried to help decorate the Chrismon Tree as a little girl (those church ladies always know what they want don't they?) and I have directed 10 Christmas plays with 6 Christmas Trees (not including the ones in the lobby..sometimes the lobby tree was the only one I would decorate that Christmas) And now I am wrapping up 10 seasons full of laughter, joy, tears and so many lessons learned I will never forget.

I have been blessed to see this lovely old building go from a beautiful church to a performing arts haven. I have cleaned her, put out buckets as she poured rain inside herself and cleaned her gutters with only trash bags on my hands. At times I have felt a sense of peace sitting in those old pews I know was reserved just for me. Those walls of plaster and paint have heard me roar with laughter and weep in agony. I have sweated thru no AC and shivered without heat. We have been thru so many changes together. I have grown up and she has grown old. Gracefully I might add on both our parts.

What are some of the challenges you have faced with directing at a community theater such as OCT?

The easy answer is Money. If we had money for (Fill in the blank) things would be so much better. The Heat/Air would run. The theatre lighting would work better. We could just rent costumes instead hunting for a 1940's style dress in every Goodwill and Salvation Army store in the Metrolina area.

The not so easy answer changes form show to show, person to person, day to day.
How do we put a Plant from OuterSpace on stage?
Where are all the Men for this 15+ man chorus?
How do you put a 12 location script on a 40'x30' stage with 8' tall wings?
How many costume changes can Kim Baysinger do in one show?
How can we make Cinderella's Carriage out of nothing?
How can I hold rehearsal when the Actors are a) freezing to death b) sweating to death c) too busy putting out buckets to catch the rain d) all of the above.
It's raining on stage. Do I stop the show?
Why can't we do an all female season?
How much money do I have to do this show?
And now I'm back to the first challenge.
Next question.