Curtain Call Atrium Repertoire Theater Provides Perfect Stage For Dreams Of Aspiring Stars

Who’s your favorite actor?

Do you admire heartthrobs like Leonardo DiCaprio and Alicia Silverstone? Do you long to be a star like Tom Cruise and Winona Ryder? Dream on.

Few teenagers appreciate theater beyond the screen. Yet some of the most talented actors appear on small stages across the world, enjoyed by relatively small but intimate, appreciative audiences. They’re stars of the stage, and you could be too.

Don’t wait to be noticed by that big Hollywood agent. Search for opportunities to let your talent shine. Or do as I did, and create the opportunity yourself.

Rather than suffering the frustration of unsuccessful auditions or a lack of school drama programs, I changed my approach. Instead of lining up to show off for a director, I became the director and choreographer and producer.

Now, elementary, middle and high school students gather on my stage to rehearse. My peers arrive, scripts in hand, eager to tackle the challenges of role-playing. This summer marks the second season of my Atrium Repertoire Theater.

ART started with a memory - not mine, but my mom’s. Years ago, a boy in her junior high school chose to satisfy his craving for the stage by creating one himself. Dracula, Frankenstein, and Wolfman came to life with the help of ticket sales to neighborhood families. My mother’s recollection kindled my enthusiasm. But where do I begin?

The first step was to secure the space. My parents agreed to let me use part of the house - a large, garage-like sunroom we call the atrium - for rehearsals and performances.

The public library provided a selection of plays from which I chose “Charlotte’s Web,” the story of an amazing pig and his barnyard friends. I figured I needed a troupe of 10 actors, with some playing multiple roles. After paying a small royalty for production rights, the scripts arrived in the mail.

A personal invitation to troupe members included a schedule of rehearsals, a list of roles and information about the troupe’s responsibilities and goals.

Rehearsals involve the entire cast for two hours a day. We practice scenes, memorize lines, and organize sets, props and costumes. The preparation period, which last year stretched over a month, was shortened this summer to two weeks of concentrated work.

When actors gather, the results can be hard to predict. When would-be comedians ad lib and liven up the script, I have to stifle giggles and urge the group back to business. As unsatisfied troupe members beg for different roles, I frantically organize the cast. We hand out Popsicles to cool and calm the cast.

Never let a budget discourage your ambition. Producing a play can cost little more than the time and energy you invest.

For last year’s production of “Tom Sawyer” and “Robin Hood,” I found props around the house - a photo album became a royal book, a stuffed animal in a bag was a concealed pet, and a yardstick became a teacher’s switch. I dug costumes out of the closet or purchased them at secondhand stores for just a dollar apiece.

You can get away with less than state-of-the-art props and sets, but don’t skimp on your time. I started planning this production in April, and when the final curtain falls, will have put in a month or two of full-time work on it.

We don’t have room for all of Spokane, but there are a few seats available to see this year’s Atrium Repertoire Theater production of E.B. White’s “Charlotte’s Web,” adapted by Joseph Robinette.

Opening (and closing) night is set for 7 p.m. Saturday at 5510 E. 25th Ave., Spokane. Space is limited to the first 30 people.