The Gladish Players will be performing “The Glass Menagerie” at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 24 and 2 p.m. Feb. 25 at the Gladish Community and Cultural Center View Room.
A new company operating within the Gladish Center walls, The Gladish Players is very actor-focused and gives acting experience to people who are interested in it. There is no cost to participating and being in a show is just a matter of auditioning, director Kristin Lincoln said.
The Gladish Players is producing “The Glass Menagerie” by Tennessee Williams. The play has four roles and is about a family’s dynamic during the end of the Great Depression.
Actor Arynn Vance, who plays the daughter Laura Wingfield, said the Gladish Players is unique in the community because it brings to life stories that most other local theatres do not. “The Glass Menagerie” is a perfect example.
“‘The Glass Menagerie’ very beautifully tells a story about a family that’s in ruin, but tries not to be in ruin. And it’s a great way to show that one, you don’t always know what’s going on behind closed doors,” Vance said. “But also that every family is going to have speed bumps and road bumps and it’s OK to work through them in a hard and difficult way.”
The character Laura Wingfield is described as a very anxious and shy person, Vance said. The way she connects with her glass menagerie and the different pieces shows how people in the real world sometimes connect with others in unconventional ways.
“Very human, very relatable dynamic — you are not seeing something fantastical or out of the realm of reality,” administrative assistant Samantha Opdahl said.
The goal of The Gladish Players is to bring theatre to life in the community and give opportunities for people who want to act and perform, but have not yet found the right outlet, Lincoln said.
“I have a deep belief that the strength of arts in your community shows the heart of your community,” Lincoln said.
Empathy is the main problem in the U.S. because people do not stop and listen to each other’s stories, Lincoln said. Seeing other stories and having an emotional connection to them helps individuals garner more emotional awareness for others.
After the showings for “The Glass Menagerie” the Gladish Players will have auditions in May for their next play, “Moving On” written by Opdahl, Vance said. The Gladish Players hope to be more established in the community and have more members audition for roles.
Along with plays, the Gladish Players are hoping to expand to more activities this coming year, such as camps, classes and workshops, Lincoln said.
