SEQUIM — The beauty of Readers Theatre Plus, its players say, is that it lets people stage dramas and comedies without a lot of memorization, and it raises money for worthy local causes.
But since Readers Theatre Plus isn’t as well-known as it could be in the Sequim area, board member and actress Mary Griffith will introduce it during a free program Saturday evening.
Cultural Connection
This is another in the monthly Cultural Connections series presented by the Sequim Humanities and Arts Alliance, whose mission is to encourage people to engage in and enjoy the local arts community.
The program and networking session will run from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at The Lodge at Sherwood Village, 660 W. Evergreen Farm Way, off Fifth Avenue near the corner of Old Olympic Highway.
Attendees will find out about plans Readers Theatre Plus has for the coming weeks, including an open reading night for amateur playwrights and performers, Griffith said.
That event is slated for Friday, March 12, at the Dungeness Schoolhouse at Towne and Anderson roads north of Sequim.
The group has staged many other performances in recent years, and each has benefited a Sequim or Port Angeles nonprofit or raised money for scholarships for local students, Griffith added.
In 2009, productions generated funds for the Sequim Museum & Arts Center, First Step Family Support Center and others.
No line-memorization
Readers Theatre Plus seeks to include all members of the community by having few rehearsals and by requiring no line-memorization, said Cultural Connections organizer Renne Brock-Richmond.
“This enables those who have heavy schedules or fears about remembering lines to have a performance outlet,” she added.
The “plus” in the name stands for the troupe’s policy of inviting other artists — musical, visual, literary — to present their work before the play and during intermission.
Saturday’s presentation will include a short, comic play titled “Two in Tourquey,” Griffith said, “to give people an idea of how readers theater works.”
Also during the Saturday gathering, community members are encouraged to network, announce forthcoming arts events and projects and share ideas.
To find out about the Sequim Humanities and Arts Alliance’s future Cultural Connections and other programs and join its mailing list, visit www.SequimArtsAlliance.org.
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Sequim-Dungeness Valley Reporter Diane Urbani de la Paz can be reached at 360-681-2391 or at diane.urbani@peninsuladaily news.com.
