Old Orchard Theatre readies for annual show

Every year since 1998, Old Orchard Theatre has been putting on a show at the Green Bluff Grange to raise money for scholarships for youth in the area.

This year’s show is “Hog Heaven,” which was written by theater founder Helen Laws and volunteer Justin Schlabach.

It’s a funny, lighthearted piece about a grandma pig farmer who finds herself with too many pigs on her hands and then hires someone to help out on the farm. That worries her granddaughters who want to get their hands on grandma’s stash of cash before she gives it to someone else. Much commotion ensues.

Neesha Schrom, artistic director, said the production is staffed entirely by volunteers.

“We lost a little momentum last year, but we are back at it now,” Schrom said.

Just four people showed up for casting, but Schrom said they decided to push ahead.

Laws and Schlabach wrote the biggest chunk of the script, the rest was developed by the cast before and during rehearsals.

“It was really fun and a little stressful at times,” Schrom said, laughing.

The show is presented at the Green Bluff Grange which seats about 100 people. If all the shows sell out that means $6,000 for the scholarship fund.

“The scholarship is just very important to us,” Schrom said. “That was the main reason we decided we could do it with a small cast.”

This year, local potter Cynthia Crist, of Willow Pond Pottery and Herbs, has created and donated piggybanks which will be raffled off to support the scholarship fund.

“That will help with the fundraising,” Schrom said.