Actors Repertory Theatre, Central Lakes Community Performing Arts Center announce theater partnership

An empty theater at Central Lakes College. — The Dryden Theatre at Central Lakes College.

By Dispatch staff report

February 22, 2023 at 2:57 PM

BRAINERD — The recently-formed Actors Repertory Theatre will partner with the Central Lakes Community Performing Arts Center in the production of a series of plays. The partnership was announced by Actors Repertory Theatre Director Patrick Spradlin and Central Lakes Community Performing Arts Center Director Joey Yow.

The partnership is the culmination of discussions between Yow, Spradlin, and Actors Repertory Theatre’s two other founders, Beth Selinger and Curtis Jendro.

“We’d initially looked into the idea of renting the Dryden for our upcoming production of ‘The Outgoing Tide,’” said Spradlin in a news release. During that discussion, Joey suggested a more engaged partnership.”

The arrangement allows the Actors Repertory Theatre to have a consistent home base for staging its works.

“We were an itinerant, vagabond troupe when we formed this company,” Selinger said. “It really helps our actors and our audiences to have a recognizable, recurring theater to perform in.”

The partnership allows the Actors Repertory Theatre to not only utilize the performance spaces at Central Lakes College, but also gives them access to the storehouse of properties and costumes there. In exchange, Central Lakes Community Performing Arts Center receives a percentage of the revenue generated by ticket sales.

“Part of our mission at the Central Lakes Community Performing Arts Center is to invest in local performers and arts organizations so that the greater community prospers from a rich and diverse availability of artistic entertainment. We’re thrilled to be able to work with Actors Repertory Theatre as they develop fantastic new opportunities for our local actors and audiences alike,” Yow said.

Actors Repertory Theatre was created by Spradlin, Selinger and Jendro in early summer of 2022. The company produced its first production, “It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play” in December.

“We rented the Studio Stage at the Gichi-Ziibi Center for that play,” said Jendro. “It worked well for that production. But we weren’t able to secure it for all of our planned productions. This arrangement gives us more flexibility.”

Actors Repertory Theatre’s mission focuses on the work of actors, placing them at the center of all productions. The organization also is committed to giving back to the community. The theater solicited donations for the Salvation Army Food Shelf and Toys for Kids as part of its Christmas offering. For “The Outgoing Tide” they are working with local Alzheimer’s support groups to raise awareness and to encourage donations.

Central Lakes Community Performing Arts Center produces the Cultural Arts Series featuring visiting guest artists in music, dance and theater. Brainerd Community Theatre is one facet of Central Lakes Community Performing Arts Center. The two theater producing companies are not merging, however.

“Both ART and BCT will maintain their autonomy in what they choose to produce, who is involved in the productions, and when each show is scheduled,” said Spradlin. “It’s important to both organizations that their individual identities be maintained.”

Actors Repertory Theatre will produce “The Outgoing Tide” by Bruce Graham in March; “God of Carnage” by Yazmina Reza in June; “Tuesdays With Morrie” by Mitch Albom and adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher in September; and “A Sherlock Carol” by Mark Shanahan in December. The Christmas show will be produced in a more involved partnership than the other shows, and will include specially scheduled matinees for local public school students.

Joey Yow

Contributed

Brainerd Community Theatre will produce “Collected Stories” by Donald Margulies in April and Disney’s “High School Musical, Jr.” by David Simpatico and Matthew Gerrard and “Kinky Boots” by Cyndi Lauper and Harvey Fierstein as summer offerings. Their fall production will be “Silent Sky” by Lauren Gunderson.

Tickets for Actors Repertory Theatre productions are available through the company’ website at www.art4mn.org . Tickets for Brainerd Community Theatre productions are available through the Central Lakes Community Performing Arts Center website at www.clcperformingarts.com .

By Dispatch staff report

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