The Lompoc Civic Theatre recently began its 40th season of live, community theater in Lompoc, continuing a legacy of volunteer performing arts in the valley town. The director of the current production, Marian C. Stave, has actually been involved with the Lompoc Civic Theatre—including as its director—since its inception in 1973. She’s seen the group go through many different stages and numbers of volunteers over the years.
“It has ebbed and flowed, but right now we are in good shape,” she said. “We have good people, a variety of people to choose from.”
The current production, The Boys Next Door, is a play by Tom Griffin, who wrote it in the early 1980s. The play tells the story of four mentally challenged men who live in a group home. Each has his own unique character, debilitation, and conflict that comes up during the play.
The quartet is often joined by Jack, a social worker who visits the men daily, but is getting increasingly burned out with his job and having to deal with the problems of the four housemates.
“I call it a warm comedy; there is some pathos in it, but mostly, it’s a comedy,” Stave said. “I kind of think it runs the gamut of emotions.”
Stave is no stranger to the play. She originally directed it about 20 years ago for the Lompoc Civic Theatre.
“When we decided our 40th season, we decided to put on the best of the best of what we’ve done before,” she said. “I directed this show 20 years ago; it’s been one of my favorites. It was the first thing that came to my mind for this season; I wanted to reprise this show.”
Portraying characters with mental disabilities can be challenging. Being able to convey a certain kind of illness accurately while being sensitive to those with the affliction is paramount. The cast at the Lompoc Civic Theatre is doing well in crafting their performances, Stave explained.
“Through the dialogue and through their actions, it’s pretty easy to pull out the characters,” she said. “So the guys have just been able to build their characters.”
In the cast are a few newcomers to the theater group, such as Charles Sommer, who’s playing the social worker Jack. The LCT always holds auditions for both veterans and newcomers. Many actors are returning, including Lompoc Civic Theatre president Larry McLellan, who plays the part of Arnold. Many of the group, however, will be making things happen behind the scenes.
“The people behind the scenes, the backstage people, we couldn’t do without,” Stave said. “There’s all kinds of jobs; there’s the sound and the lighting, stage managing, set building, prop gather, decorating, and not to mention the hospitality.”
The play, which calls for several short parts—which Stave calls “cameos”—will be played by various back stage players.
“It keeps congestion down backstage,” she said, “when all these people who are here anyway can do all those parts.”
Though the Lompoc Civic Theatre is alive and well after 40 years, the group still needs community support when it comes to filling seats.
“We are always fighting for audience support,” Stave said, “and we need more of that all the time.”
The LCT enjoys a few local, private donors who ensure the group can continue to finance productions. All of the participants in the play are volunteers, and funds go toward supplies that help build sets, which are still constructed by volunteers.
“It’s a constant process from the beginning; we try not to push too hard, but we strive for excellence,” Stave said. “Culturally, I think every town needs at least one theater group, and we are it!”
Arts Editor Joe Payne is a connoisseur of humor and pathos. Contact him at jpayne@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Apr 11-18, 2013.
