The Hanford Theater Fest

The Hanford Theater Fest is more than a collection of short plays. It is an opportunity to experience theater as it is meant to be experienced: live, immediate and created in partnership with the people sitting in the audience.

This year’s festival features five short plays by five playwrights: FRIDGE by Jennifer O’Grady, WHY CAN’T YOU by Ron G. Rosenfeld, WINTER LIGHT by Christine Foster, GOWN by Robert Weibezahl and RESEARCH by S.J. Roth.

But the festival will also offer something a little different. On Friday, audiences will have the opportunity to participate in a staged reading of a new work by playwright Soyo Marta. Following the reading, audience members will be invited to respond to the work and share their thoughts. It is a chance to see a new play while it is still taking shape—and, in a small way, become part of the creative process.

For those of us who make theater, that kind of interaction is invaluable. A playwright spends hours alone with a blank page, but theater ultimately belongs in front of an audience. Hearing how people respond to a new work can help a playwright discover what is working, what needs clarification and what might deserve another look.

This festival is also special because many of the actors taking the stage are newcomers to theater. They have stepped into something unfamiliar, learned their lines, faced the inevitable nerves and discovered what happens when the lights come up and an audience is waiting.

After watching Sunday’s dress rehearsal, we were impressed by how far they have come. In fact, the rehearsal was so strong that it could easily have been the performance itself.

Behind those actors is a crew that deserves recognition as well. Special thanks go to Don Brakeman, who has done an outstanding job directing two of the festival’s plays, Alina DeMares with her special skills in voice preparation and crew, and to Ted Hillman for his work in sound and lighting. Theater may appear effortless from an audience seat, but that illusion is created by many people working together behind the scenes.

That is one of the things I love about community theater. It gives people a chance to discover something they may never have known they could do. Someone walks through the door as a first-time actor, volunteer or theatergoer, and leaves with a new experience—and sometimes a new passion.

So, if you have never attended a theater festival, this is a wonderful opportunity to give it a try. Come support actors who are discovering the stage, listen to new playwrights and experience five different stories in one festival.

And if you are a writer, artist or simply someone who enjoys thinking about how stories are created, consider joining us Friday for Soyo Marta’s staged reading. Your response may become part of the play’s journey.

The Hanford Theater Fest takes place this weekend and continues next weekend, with the five short plays presented Saturday and Sunday at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are Pay-What-You-Can online on our website or at the door.

Come see what happens when new voices, new actors and live theater come together. You might discover that the most exciting part of theater isn't simply watching the finished product—it is being there while something new is being created.