Trego's Mountain Ear

The Eureka Community Players undertook the challenge of writing plays and is presenting their new play on Sunday, March 23^rd.  Done in an anthology format, “Seasons on the Farm” – An Afternoon of 10-minutes Scenes Written by Local Writers, begins at 3:00 p.m. at the Timbers Event Center.

This is the second year that the Players have hosted a writers’ group.  The group began with a workshop in October.  In the workshop, we set certain parameters: 10-12 minutes with 2-3 actors all set in a mutually agreed upon space: a farm. The writers met every two weeks with the final script done in January.  Auditions were held in February for actors and directors.   

Last year’s play “The Waiting Room” was the Players first attempt at writing a play.  “Seasons on the Farm” is our second and slightly different.  The Waiting Room’s scenes each stood alone, only similar in that they were set in a waiting room.  The Seasons on the Farm’s scenes are tied together by the Narrator / Farm Wife, beginning and ending with her moving away from the farm; and sharing friends and neighbors’ stories in between.  The Narrator is played by Loree Campbell.  Besides narrating the play, she is also the Grandmother in two of the scenes.

Act I includes “Memories or Grandma Magpie” by Sharon LaBonty; “Sunflower Seeds” by Noelle Nichols; “Who Can Work on a Farm” by Becky Gray; and “Farm Olympics: The Grains of Glory” by Adrian Miller.  “Never Trust a Girl in a Hay Loft” by Mike Workman; “All in a Day’s Work” by Judy Russell; and “Fun on the Farm” by John LaBonty make up Act II.  The afternoon ends with a talk-back / question and answer session with the writers.

People new to the ECP Writers Group this year were Noelle Nichols, Becky Gray, Mike Workman and Judy Russell.  We also use this play as an opportunity for people interested in directing to try it out in a 10-minute format.  New directors this year are Madeline Richards and Nancy Haugan.  Returning directors are John and Sharon LaBonty, Adrian Miller, Lisa Priller, Kelley Comstock, and Rachel Lautaret Clear. 

Many of Eureka’s favorite actors are bringing these original scenes to life.  The actors include Alan Guderjahn, Danica Cate, Hugo “Four” Granados, John Priller, Judy Russell, Ethel White, Nancy Haugan, Emily Benge, and Rachel Clear.  New faces on stage are Carolyne Snipes, Amy Currie, Devin Braaten, and Daniel and Isaac Lane.

The Players hope to continue this anthology writing as an annual event.  The Eureka Community Players invite anyone that is interested to join us.  As Sharon LaBonty, Coordinator, said, “Working together, supporting each other, has been fun!”.  Just talk to Sharon or call/text her at 406 / 263-9208 for more information.