Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, August 12, 1993 TAG: 9308120376
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: S-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: WENDI GIBSON RICHERT STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The Players is theater group run by youths. Chaney, a '93 Salem High School graduate, is its oldest member. Their summer of auditions, rehearsals, recasting and still more rehearsals will culminate in the performance of "Clown's Play," a retold version of Jack and the Beanstalk. Chaney is the director.
More than a year ago, Chaney and 15-year-old Jamie Beard of Roanoke met at Tanglewood Mall while portraying elves for the mall's Christmas exhibit. Their mutual interest in theater - Chaney at Salem High School and Beard at Patrick Henry - led them to form a youth theater group.
Their efforts met with obstacles, when their original backer, a local community theater group, feared kids could not possibly run their own show.
"But we did it, we made it fly," Chaney said.
Not that forming the group, directing the play, securing the license for it and raising money has been smooth sailing. Since the Players took off on their own, they've had to learn the ropes of being a nonprofit group with virtually no help. And that's exactly how they wanted it.
Chaney, who is preparing for his freshman year at Ferrum College, summed up the group's most difficult challenges this summer as "lots of stuff," including keeping the cast together and finding the money to pull it off.
Since auditions in June, Chaney has had to work through three major casting changes. The most recent occurred just last week when two actors dropped out and Chaney had to shuffle some roles, again.
He attributed the spurt of dropouts to members "not used to being disorganized."
Financially, Players has raised $171 in two carwashes to put toward their hoped-for $800 budget. That budget will include money for the $90 license for "Clown's Play," scripts and theater makeup, printing tickets and programs and the custodial deposit on Andrew Lewis Middle School, where the group will perform.
The 11-member group also has designated the AIDS Project of the Roanoke Valley and flood victims in the Midwest to receive half the proceeds from their debut performance.
They hope to meet their goals, Chaney said, with money raised from ticket sales and possibly from other supporters.
Fortunately for the Players, the easiest challenge they've met has been publicity. Stories about the group's formation, auditions and upcoming performance are hitting radio waves, TV stations and newspapers in the community.
Perhaps the group's mission has influenced some of this media support. Its mission is to provide youth with an opportunity to work on- and off-stage in theater. Another purpose is to give something to the community.
"There's a place for everybody in Roanoke Valley Players," Chaney said.
Once the curtain falls on "Clown's Play," Chaney said, the group will stay together. Plans include forming a board of directors, developing a parent support system and staging a Christmas production and a play in the spring.
"I'm having a lot of fun with this," Chaney said. "It's a lot of stress, but it is fun. I think the cast will appreciate it - once the play's over."
The play begins at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Andrew Lewis Middle School in Salem. Tickets are $4. For more information, call Chaney at 389-8710.
by CNB