The Little Theatre of Alexandria

When we last checked in with the intrepid prop managers, they THOUGHT they had everything they needed for the upcoming play, The Savannah Disputation at the Alexandria Little Theater, sorted out. That was before final rehearsals started with the “real” props… Prop managing is a constant learning experience. At first, my friend Susan and I thought it would be just a matter of rounding up a very specific group of stuff as per the script specifications. Hey, guess what…things change until the director is satisfied and the actors feel comfortable with the things they have to handle. Case in point, a table dressed for that time just after a dinner has ended, which needs to be set in a hurry, on the darkened stage, after the lights go down between scenes. We were asked to make it the remains of a LARGE dinner (in Savannah, so Southern Style) and really fill up the table. And put some convincing looking food scraps on plates for scraping. All the items were to be pla

What do you find appealing about your character and this show? From the moment I read the script I thought it was fascinating. I’m normally drawn to dramas and darker comedies, so I like plays that have a depth to them. This play has four very strong characters that are all so different, even when they agree. I find Melissa particularly fascinating because she’s an evangelical Christian who goes door to door…. Which I actually did when I was an early teenager. My family went to a church for a few years that was fairly evangelical, and so some of her behaviors I’m able to look to my own experience. I was drawn to this show so much that I agreed to costume it months ago, and ultimately decided to audition. So now I’m doing both, which is a little crazy, but has also allowed me to dress my own character exactly as I want! What have you learned about yourself in playing the role of Melissa? I’ve learned that I’m legitimately terrible at memorizing Bible verses! Lines ar

Bibles, banana pudding and a bottle of Scotch...these are some of the things that Susan Townsend and I found in the prop list for The Savannah Disputation.  Having never done props before, we were not quite sure how to proceed, but we got expert advise from Bobbie Herbst, LTA Properties Chairman, such as:  1. Don’t buy anything until you find out if we already have it in the theater’s prop room.  2.  Don’t borrow anything from a friend or relative that they are going to want back.  3.  Thrift stores are your friend.  4. Don’t exceed your budget, and try very hard to come under budget.  Being thrifty shoppers, and with the goal of coming under budget, Susan and I set to work.  We haunted area second hand stores and discount stores, sometimes together and sometimes alone.  When alone, we relayed messages to one another, via text and photos, that only the two of us could ever decipher.  Example:  “This one I didn’t get; does it look Catholic?” accompanied by a photo with a shelf full

I have enjoyed getting to know Margaret and exploring her relationships with the other characters in the play. One of the things I like about her is that she is a much more complex person than she appears to be. She has a lot on her mind and on her heart. She’s seeking answers to the important things in life as she nears its end. One of the things I love about this play is that it explores important ideas in a humorous way. We don’t always believe what we think we believe. I hope the audience will leave with lots to think about and talk about, and perhaps even change their minds about!