It’s really got a hold on them

People intimately involved in local
theater explain their love of the stage.

By MILAN PAURICH

VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT

HY DO THEY DO IT?

By “they,” I mean the good folks responsible for community theater productions across the tri-state area. Since few of them actually get paid for their time, energy and talent, it certainly isn’t for the money. And even though America is full of narcissists and exhibitionists (just check out the “American Idol” auditions), there’s no guarantee of fame, glory or even exposure. Anyone who’s ever attended an opening night performance and seen amateur thespians act their hearts out to a practically empty theater knows that. Then why? Why spend your leisure time away from family, friends and real-world concerns for something that brings so little tangible gain? What triggers the “theater gene” in someone? Is it genetic?

The Vindicator asked a number of individuals who are actively involved with area community theater organizations where their love for theater sprang from, how and why they got hooked and what they get from the experience.

Because this is just a random sampling, there are no definitive answers. But hopefully it will shed some light on the dedicated people — both on and off stage — responsible for making Youngstown’s community theater scene so vibrant and exciting year after year.

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Jack Ballantyne: actor, director, playwright.

I really got involved in theater through desperation: from not having much to do in junior high school. I auditioned for a one-act play, got cast and went all the way through the rehearsal process. For some reason the play was canceled, but I had such a great time doing it that when I got to high school I got involved in the theater department. I’ve been doing live theater ever since. The greatest thing I get from theater is the ability that you have — in any capacity — to influence and move people. It’s really amazing how you can pull an audience in and make them forget everything at the moment. I think I saw that most vividly when I did “Block 5” (which I wrote) several years ago. It was such a violent, hard-hitting script that people just lost themselves in the show and came out completely drained. Theater is also a powerful vehicle to educate people. Kids and adults alike can learn so much from live theater. And it’s something that stays with them forever.

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Barbara Evans: actress.

I first got hooked at Woodrow Wilson High School where students were required to take drama and speech classes. I was so shy that I felt sure I would die if called upon to speak. My drama coach, Robert Tamburro, gave me an excerpt from “Joan of Arc” to work on and perform for the class. While rehearsing, I felt something come alive within me. I was fascinated by the words and emotions jumping off the page. Later, I started auditioning for plays and musicals at Wilson, then went on to audition for area community theaters. It’s never stopped. The day I get a script it’s like opening up an adventure. It’s challenging and fun to discover everything about the character I’m playing — even if it’s not on the printed page — and finding a way to make my performance believable and entertaining for the audience. Applause is a community theater actor’s “pay,” and it’s always a joy to hear.

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Patricia Fagan: board member, youth theater director, Youngstown Playhouse.

My first theater experience was “Snow White and Rose Red” at the old Princeton Junior High School where the Civic Children’s Theater performed in the mid-1950s. I can still remember riding to the show with my mother and quizzing her about what I was going to see. “People on stage? Real people??” I didn’t quite get it. But when I saw it ... well, that was it for me! It’s a wonderful coincidence that I’m now running the Playhouse youth program and get to stage all those wonderful old shows so that other children can experience my “aha!” moment in their own lives. As with any arts organizations, the biggest challenge as a board member is funding. How do we get what we need to keep on doing what we do? We entertain, educate and ultimately empower our audiences, and we must continue to do so. Those who choose — or are chosen — to make their life in the theater do not have any easy road, but I can’t imagine another (road) for myself.

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John Holt: Youngstown Playhouse managing director; actor; director.

I first got involved at the age of 11 when my father resurrected a community theater in Lewisburg, W.Va. Our first show was “A Thousand Clowns,” and of course I caught the fever. Since then, I have acted in or directed about 200 productions. Only live theater can pull people in to the extent that it does. Unlike movies or television, theater creates a unique atmosphere that can be downright intoxicating. As an actor, it’s the ability to create a unique and memorable character. As a director, it’s the whole process: taking a vision and turning it into a live entity.

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Alan McCreary: actor.

I’ve always had a vivid imagination. Growing up, we didn’t have the video games or TV shows that kids have today, so we played games outside. That was the start. When I graduated high school, I became involved at the Youngstown Playhouse where I began as a crew member. A short time later I was on the main stage. The lasting friendships you make (while doing a show) are the best thing. The satisfaction of being part of a really good show — and the admiration of your peers and the public — are very satisfying.

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Laura J. Phillips: actress.

My love for theater comes from somewhere so deep inside that it must have been present before I was born. I knew that I was hooked after seeing a performance of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” at the Youngstown Playhouse when I was 7 or 8 years old. I remember sitting there and wanting nothing more than to be on that stage singing those songs and doing those dances. I was mesmerized! Do you ever have the feeling of being alone in a crowded room? I think that’s how many actors feel. But when we hit the stage, it’s a perfect fit. I have the ability to create and live in a world that has no boundaries, no limits to where I can go, who I can be and what I can accomplish. For me, it’s literally a piece of heaven on earth. Theater completes me.

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Gemma Sole: lifelong theatergoer.

I’ve been an avid theater buff since my first taste of a live audience when I was an extra in an Ursuline High School production of “The King and I” at age 7. The stage was bigger than life and made a huge impression on me. In my elementary and high school years, I was a member of the Youngstown Playhouse’s Youth Theater where I performed in plays and worked behind the scenes. I love every form of community theater. However, I much prefer the intimacy of “theater-in-the-round.” Good theater is entertaining; it captivates you and you really feel that you’re a part of the show. The setting doesn’t matter; it’s what comes to life onstage that’s important. One of the best kept secrets in the Mahoning Valley is our love of theater and commitment to it. Locally, the Youngstown Playhouse, Youngstown State University’s excellent theater department, the Oakland Center for the Arts and the Victorian Players complement one another rather than compete. And our circle grows even wider with the theaters in Warren, Salem, New Castle and other surrounding areas.