Playgoers readying one-act performances after hiatus

By Al Beeber - Lethbridge Herald on May 7, 2022.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDabeeber@lethbridgeherald.com

After being shut down since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Playgoers of Lethbridge is ready to raise the curtain again on its annual one-act play festival.
This year’s festival will run Saturday, May 17 starting at 7:30 p.m. in the Sterndale Bennett Theatre. Admission is $10 and doors open at 7.
Organizer Rita Peterson said this week generating interest in the festival hasn’t been easy.
The city theatrical troupe had just finished its run of “Daisy” three years ago when the province introduced stringent measures to slow the spread of COVID-19.
And now after that long hiatus, Playgoers is back in business with three plays which will be adjudicated. The winning play will be eligible to compete in the provincial one-act festival in Camrose at the end of the month.
Three plays will be staged at the festival but unlike previous years when entries ran roughly 30-45 minutes, these are all much shorter, said Peterson.
Two of the plays are 10 minutes in length and one is 15-20 minutes long, she said.
So festival organizers have arranged for some extra entertainment to help lengthen the evening including a scene from Shakespeare and some poetry.
“Just something to fill the evening a little bit more,” Peterson added.
One play being staged by a Playgoers member from Taber was written by Ed Bayly, who for decades was heavily involved in local theatre and Peterson is hoping he can attend the festival to see it performed. It’s called “Priscilla Pringle’s Predicament.”
Also being staged are “Awkward Silence” by Jay Reis and “Buying a Brassiere” by Rebecca Ritchie.
A few non-competing participants will also perform.
“It’s been a couple years so we’re happy to be going again,” said Peterson this week.
In 2019, the festival had five submissions ready to go before it was cancelled.
“It’s hard getting it going again. You lose traction, you lose enthusiasm,” said Peterson.
“It takes some effort to put things on,” the organizer added, saying she has good help putting the event together.

Follow @albeebHerald on Twitter