September 30, 2024 • 46 mins
In this episode, Jim Chapman of Local Leaders the Podcast sits down with Robert Reynolds and Helene Wall of Spotlight Theater Players, a nonprofit focused on live theater in Livingston Parish. Robert shares the challenges of finding a sustainable venue for performances, while Helene emphasizes the need for a permanent space to enhance community engagement.
They discuss the positive impact of theater on youth and highlight upcoming productions like "War of the Worlds" and "Rockin' Christmas Review." Both guests invite listeners to support the arts through donations and volunteering, underscoring the importance of community backing in realizing their vision for a thriving performing arts center.
#PerformingArts #Theatre #LivingstonParish #communitytheatrenearme #support #localleaders #podcast #louisiana #familyfriendlytheatreshows #localtheatreproductions
Timestamps
05:04 The Birth of Spotlight Theater Players
07:05 Helene’s Journey to Spotlight Theater
08:58 Overcoming Challenges in Community Theater
12:37 The Need for a Performing Arts Center
16:03 Community Involvement and Support
20:21 Hurdles to Establishing a Performing Arts Center
28:51 Economic Benefits of a Performing Arts Center
30:51 Upcoming Productions and Events
39:55 Social Media and Community Engagement
44:18 Final Thoughts and Call to Action
If you are searching for how to find Local Theatre Productions or attempting to figure out where to see local theatre productions in Livingston Parish then this is the podcast for you! We cover what to expect at local theatre events as well as information on supporting community theatre initiatives.
Spotlight Theatre Players on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/spotlighttheatergroup/
Spotlight Theatre Players on the web:
https://www.stpds.com
This episode is sponsored by Level Dumpsters You can learn more about Level Dumpsters by visiting: https://www.leveldumpsters.com
SAVE 100.00 OFF YOUR DUMPSTER RENTAL JUST BY MENTIONING LOCAL LEADERS THE PODCAST!
They discuss the positive impact of theater on youth and highlight upcoming productions like "War of the Worlds" and "Rockin' Christmas Review." Both guests invite listeners to support the arts through donations and volunteering, underscoring the importance of community backing in realizing their vision for a thriving performing arts center.
#PerformingArts #Theatre #LivingstonParish #communitytheatrenearme #support #localleaders #podcast #louisiana #familyfriendlytheatreshows #localtheatreproductions
Timestamps
05:04 The Birth of Spotlight Theater Players
07:05 Helene’s Journey to Spotlight Theater
08:58 Overcoming Challenges in Community Theater
12:37 The Need for a Performing Arts Center
16:03 Community Involvement and Support
20:21 Hurdles to Establishing a Performing Arts Center
28:51 Economic Benefits of a Performing Arts Center
30:51 Upcoming Productions and Events
39:55 Social Media and Community Engagement
44:18 Final Thoughts and Call to Action
If you are searching for how to find Local Theatre Productions or attempting to figure out where to see local theatre productions in Livingston Parish then this is the podcast for you! We cover what to expect at local theatre events as well as information on supporting community theatre initiatives.
Spotlight Theatre Players on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/spotlighttheatergroup/
Spotlight Theatre Players on the web:
https://www.stpds.com
This episode is sponsored by Level Dumpsters You can learn more about Level Dumpsters by visiting: https://www.leveldumpsters.com
SAVE 100.00 OFF YOUR DUMPSTER RENTAL JUST BY MENTIONING LOCAL LEADERS THE PODCAST!
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hi, this is Lori Johnson with Hancock Whitney Bank and
you're listening to Local Leaders the podcast. Visit Local leadersthepodcast
dot com for previous episodes or for information on peering
on the show.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Hey everyone, before we get into today's episode with Spotlight
Theater players, I want to shout out our sponsor, Level Dumpsters.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
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(01:08):
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(01:33):
Hey everyone, and welcome back to Local Leaders the podcast
and look today. I have a nonprofit here that is
very close to my heart personally. I have been to
several of the events plays, things like that that you've had.
I had a great time every time I went. And
we'll talk about that a little bit. But first, let
(01:55):
me introduce these two good folks across from me. Actually
I haven't introduced some Yeah.
Speaker 4 (02:00):
Robert Reynolds here did them Springs? And my wife and I, Charlotte.
We are the founders of Spotlight Theater Players.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
My name is Helene Wall. I've been involved with the
theater now for about four or five years, and I
am the president of the Spotlight Theater Board right now.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
Awesome, man, y'all are kind of well known here would
I would? I must say rock stars? Robert, that'll work.
And speaking of rock stars, before we get into all
the wonderful things with Spotlight Theater Players, you are a drummer. Yes,
tell me about that.
Speaker 4 (02:34):
Well, people ask him when did I start drumming? I said,
I came out the womb drumming because both of my
older brothers were drummers. Matter of fact, the oldest was
a studio drummer in Nashville, not with any major artists.
He worked with independent studios. Sadly he passed away in
ninety four, but he got to live his dream. And
(02:56):
so and then the other brother, he plays drums, but
his main instrument is guitar and he lives over in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
So I've been on the drum set all my life.
First band I can remember being m was a Maan
middle brother and I had I was about nine years old.
And then from there I was in my dad's band.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Oh wow.
Speaker 4 (03:15):
And so now what I do is I have a
band called the King Creole Orchestra, and we work with
tribute artists, mainly Elvis. About ninety percent of our work
is with Elvis tribute artists. But we travel all over
the country.
Speaker 3 (03:31):
Wow.
Speaker 4 (03:32):
Matter of fact, I'm just in July and we were
in seventeen states traveling and went all the way to Seattle.
We worked with also with Michael Jackson tribute artists, Share
tribute artists, and Patsy Kline tribute artists.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
Very good, and miss Hallane, you're also a drummer.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
You know, it's funny. I wanted to be because my
dad was a professional drummer. I really traveled all over
the South when we were kids, much to my mom's displeasure.
Speaker 5 (03:59):
Sometimes I understand.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
Yeah, I grew up in music. And interestingly, my dad
played every performance of the Baton Ridge Little Theater for
twenty seven years.
Speaker 5 (04:10):
Oh wow, I grew up.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
Sitting in the orchestra pit watching the shows. Wow, next
to all these fantastic musicians that came from Baton Rouge,
New Orleans everywhere.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
Well, it's no surprise that y'all are still involved in
you know, it's not music, but well it could be
music in some ways musicals, but still involved in performing
and and you kind of have that in you, I
must in your blood.
Speaker 1 (04:35):
Right.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
Very good. So, Robert, you mentioned you were the founder
of Spotlight Theater Players. How did that come about? Tell
me the story of how y'all?
Speaker 4 (04:46):
Yeah, So, you know, I grew up in French settlement
and it's not known for having, you know, any theater.
We have to have a gift and talented program now.
But you know, when I when I grew up there,
grew up out there. There was no outlet for the art.
You know. People asked me today did we have a
(05:06):
band in high school? And I said, yeah, it was
four of us and we played at the Moonlight in
you know, so you didn't have much of an outlet.
But I was so into I would put on plays
for my family. And when my wife and I got married,
we moved to Denham Springs and there was an organization
in the late late.
Speaker 5 (05:27):
Nineties to the early two thousand.
Speaker 4 (05:29):
It's called d SAC which stood for Dental Springs Area
Community Theater and it was formed by Dinah Tups which
anybody that's involved in any kind of theater in the
Livingston Parish area knows who Dinah Topes was. She was
the daughter of doctor Ed Walker and so her sister
is Barbara who is or the director of the Olympics
(05:52):
and Parish Children's Choir. So Dina is a phenomenal talent.
And I got involved with d Sack, I said, got involved.
We actually took my daughter at the time, she was
about six or seven years old, to audition for Charlotte's Web.
Speaker 5 (06:09):
We went they needed.
Speaker 4 (06:10):
Someone to play the part of her father mister Arable,
and they asked me if I would audition, and auditioned,
and of course I already loved theater, but I was
thirty at the time and never done anything other than
you know, the little goofy plays I put on from
a family when I was a kid, and just fell
in love with it and got involved in D Sack.
(06:33):
Then D Sack it dissolved, and so there was another
group that tried to form called Live and they had
a couple of meetings when nothing came of it. And
then we got my wife and I got involved with
the Arts Council here in Livingston Parish and I just said, look,
I want to bring theater back to Livingston Parish.
Speaker 5 (06:54):
And that's pretty much how it. You know, it evolved wonderful.
Our first show was.
Speaker 4 (07:00):
Magnolia Is in twenty eleven. It's been quite a struggle,
I'll tell you that, and we'll.
Speaker 5 (07:04):
Get into that.
Speaker 4 (07:05):
I guess about it, but I just, you know, wanted
to see live theater in Livingston Parish and so that
that's how it started.
Speaker 2 (07:13):
Wonderful. And miss Hawaiim, how did you get involved?
Speaker 3 (07:16):
So there's a wonderful networking organization. I'll give them a plug.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
It's b and I yes, yeah, I've been in I
was in it for probably five years.
Speaker 3 (07:26):
Yeah. Wonderful, wonderful organization. And so in my day job,
which is a business consultant, yea, I was involved in it.
Met some people in Livingston Parish. I live in Baton Rouge,
one of whom is an amazing networker and connector. And
she said, we started talking about hobbies and interests and
I said, oh, you know, I like music, I like
our ID love to act one day. And that's all
(07:47):
she had to hear because she's a very close friend
of Roberts and Charlotte's. Oh, you need to have lunch
with Robert Reynolds. And before we left our lunch, she
had me set up with a lunch meeting.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (07:57):
So I met with Robert. We started talking about our
business world. Then we started talking about Spotlight. He told
me what was going on and I said, dude, I'm
in do we what do we have to do this?
This may be my first chance and my only chance
to go ahead and audition for a part. I'm not
getting any younger. Let's go here. And that was five
five years ago maybe or five six years ago. And
(08:19):
so since then. I mean, I've just been lucky enough
that I've auditioned for a few parts and got them,
started working with the board and trying to help promote
because I absolutely feel the same way Robert and Charlotte
do when it comes to theater being so great a
lot of reasons, and so I just.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
Stuck, Well, you're absolutely an amazing actress. I've actually seen
you and I'm trying to remember. I believe it was
Stell Magnolia's were you in still yeah, Belchi, Yeah, yeah,
I remember, and I was like that accent is bottom.
Speaker 3 (08:53):
It was so great, It's so much fun. I just
can't even tell you.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
Yeah, well you do a wonderful job with it. And
let's kind of get into you, let into kind of
struggles with and look, anytime you're kicking off any business,
whether it's a nonprofit or for profit business, there's obviously
going to be struggles, especially when it doesn't really exist
or not on a big level wherever it is you're at.
(09:18):
I dealt with it here with the podcast. You know,
I was the first in the South Louisiana probably to
have my own studios, So it was it was a fight,
It was a struggle to get it up and going.
Let's talk about that for a second. What are the
struggles when you were starting out versus now?
Speaker 4 (09:35):
The biggest struggle, and obviously the initial struggle was okay,
you have this dream, how you're going to bring it about?
Finding you know, people that are that have the same
passion that you have. You know, I mean that say okay,
yeah we need this because there's been there's been several
organizations and they just don't last. Yeah, you know I
(09:58):
talked about d sact before or that. It was the
drama the drama room that was back in the eighties
and then it didn't you know, it was here for
a while and then it's gone. De Sac was here
for a while, then it was gone, and then of
course live didn't didn't do anything.
Speaker 5 (10:15):
So the first.
Speaker 4 (10:16):
Struggle is finding people that you know that have the
same passion want to see this take place in this Parishuh.
Then after that, the biggest struggle is there's not a
performing arts center in this parish anywhere, so you we
don't have we don't have our own facility. So you
(10:37):
have to find a facility when you want to put
on a performance. So then that limits you far as
the type of performance you're going to do.
Speaker 5 (10:48):
Yeah. So in the majority of the time we're using
a church.
Speaker 4 (10:53):
Or you know, in the past it's been uh uh,
you know, school and you're you're did on the time
that you get the building, you have to adjust your
your set building around that. I mean I build the
sets at my house and I basically build them as
a puzzle.
Speaker 5 (11:12):
Ye build them and put them together the house, Yes,
take them.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
Apart, handywork handyside too, I can assure you, yeah.
Speaker 5 (11:20):
And then you put it in.
Speaker 4 (11:21):
The crazy thing about it is the first show we
did in twenty eleven was still Magnolia's in every set
has we've used that same set, uh since twenty eleven,
just configure it.
Speaker 1 (11:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (11:36):
So that's the probably the greatest struggle that we have
is the location.
Speaker 5 (11:41):
Because you're thank God for.
Speaker 4 (11:44):
Holy Ground because they're they're really pleasant to work with.
But we get the facility on a Sunday after church,
so I have to get in there and put build
the set or you know, I've already basically had it built.
It's like a puzzle, but we have to assemble the
set on Sunday and then Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday
(12:06):
is will be tech and dress rehearsals.
Speaker 5 (12:09):
Thursday night's opening night. So just to put that.
Speaker 4 (12:13):
In perspective of other theaters like Battery's Little Theater, they
have months of preparation for a show and then they have,
you know, multiple weeks that they're on stage before the production.
We're on the actual stage three nights before production.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
And that's the difference of what funding brings you, right,
and the benefits of that and facilities. I have been
a proponent for many, many years of the fact that
Livingston Parish absolutely needs a performing arts yes studio, a
real building that people can go in, not only for
(12:53):
what you do, but for bands and things like that.
It's you know, the days in times of going to
see your kids in a gym. It's nice, but it's
not good for saying I mean, you know, it's echoing everywhere,
and and uh, it's something that I would love to
see come to fruition somebody to really get behind that
(13:14):
and push it. I can't think of a more worthy
organization than you good folks to have a facility like that.
And you know Baton Ridge you mentioned, Uh, they're they're
performing arts building. It's a standalone building, and they and
they they have a ton of funding because of donations
and people who have maybe they were in it and
(13:36):
they left it in their will that hey I want
to give this. Yes, yes, and and those are big things. Uh.
But I'm also a proponent of why not Livingston Parish?
Speaker 5 (13:47):
Yeah, you know, I mean you think of the size
of this parish, I mean.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
Or what We're the top growing parish in the state
of Louisiana presently.
Speaker 5 (13:57):
Yes, I try.
Speaker 4 (13:58):
Far I travel all over the country and I mean
seriously literally all of I mean East coast, West coast,
and the majority of the performances that I do in
far as music working with these Elvis guys are in
towns about the size of Denim Springs. Yeah, and every
one of them has a performing arts center. Yeah, or
(14:20):
if it's not necessarily a new performing arts center. The
the old theater that was built in right, that was
built in the twenties and thirties. It was like an
old opera house or you know, a movie theater or
a vaudeville type. Yeah, it's now the performing Arts Center,
which is wonderful. That's that's pretty neat and nostalgic.
Speaker 5 (14:39):
You know, I've been in some incredible theater.
Speaker 3 (14:41):
It's pretty geeky on stuff like that.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
Yeah, I do see, As you can see in my studio,
I have a lot of antique stuff and that's kind
of my We were.
Speaker 4 (14:50):
In Oklahoma back in July and the theater we played at,
Will Rogers performed on that stage, so I was just like,
oh my god, can you you know? This is amazing
to be on the stage at icons have been on.
Speaker 5 (15:02):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (15:03):
So anyway, the point of what I'm saying is it's
it's time. I mean, we this this is the fastest
growing parish and we need it because you know, even
I mean not just for our sake, but kind of
what you're talking about. You have graduating classes that are
going outside of this parish to have their ceremonies because
(15:26):
we don't have a facility.
Speaker 2 (15:28):
Yeah, you know, I agree one hundred percent, Miss Elaine.
What about you? What do you think?
Speaker 3 (15:31):
You know? That's that's where I get all all jazzed up,
because you know, I'm approaching this from a business perspective.
And when I joined the board, you know, we talked
about it. I'm like, guys, we're going to run this
like a business because that's the only way We're going
to make some headway and is happening, but you know,
putting a strategic plan in place, getting our financials in order,
(15:53):
getting people who are interested. We've built up the board
in the last six months. We've increased the people on
the board and we've really got some people who are
very passionate about making this work involved. So now we
have more hands to do. The work we need is
the community involvement. We need the business owners. We need
the people who are the foundation of Livingston Parish who've
(16:14):
been here all their lives, who have children and grandchildren. Now,
you know, with all the challenges that we have raising
kids and grandkids these days in the community, what better
place to keep them or put them and help them
learn life lessons than in community theater. I agree they
get to come out of their shell. I was the
shyest person on the planet. I could not speak to people. Why, oh,
(16:36):
you don't even want to know it was. It took
me thirty years to finally make the break and try something.
And when I did, I'm like, oh my goodness, if
I had known about this, I could have been a
different person. It's those little things, but the people that
support spotlight that come to every show, and there are
hundreds of them. We love what y'all do. This is
so great for our kids. I want my granddaughter to
(16:57):
be in this. We've got somebody else. We met a
new neighbor. So there's interest there. There's energy and dedication
and people willing to work on it from the board
and the committee levels. And you know, even our association
with Livingston Paris Children's Choir, the things we do in tandem.
Yes I don't sing, they sing, but you know, we've
got the interest is there. We've got to find a
(17:19):
way to get this to gel. Yeah, and then to
get to get the people interested who can make things
like this happen. And so those are our governmental leaders.
Those are the city people of the council, all of
those individuals who can look at this and say, yeah,
we see the benefit because there is benefit there.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
Oh, there's a huge benefit to it. And it's all
the reasons you just listed. Especially acting enables people to
come out of their shell a little bit. It enables
you to really put yourself out there. And I'll use
just a quick example of how important this type of
thing is. My wife is a very shy person, which
is really weird because I'm not. We are definitely total
(18:01):
opposites on that spectrum. But in order to get herself
out of her shell, she forced herself to speak at church.
That was her thing, I'm going to be I'm going
to read the word at church. And it was frightening
to her, but she got up, she did it, and
every time she did it, she became more comfortable with it.
(18:22):
Same thing, you know, that would be a perfect form
acting and participating in Spotlight theater players, a perfect form
of learning to engage and step outside of your comfort zone,
which is so important to young people but also to
older folks you know as well.
Speaker 3 (18:39):
So take that one step further. In addition to the
Christmas show and the plays that we do and the
different things like that, you know, our goal is to
expand into doing workshops, working with kids, working with teenagers.
We'd love to have an improv class. We'd love to
have people come out and just try it in a
safe space and just have some fun. You don't have
(19:00):
to be a rock star, you don't have to do
it all. Just have some fun, you know, get out
there and let yourself enjoy life a little bit. Yeah,
we can't do that if we're hopping around trying to
find a spot.
Speaker 2 (19:11):
Yep, that's right.
Speaker 3 (19:12):
I mean we had we had for the Elvis Show.
We rehearsed seven different places in six weeks, one of
which mean my living room. Oh there you go, cleared
out all the furniture and build a set halfway.
Speaker 4 (19:23):
So it was a thing, thank you wonderful and you're
and the key And what she's you know, she said,
is it's community theaters. So that means anyone, anyone, if
anyone is and you don't have to.
Speaker 2 (19:36):
You don't have to be hamlet.
Speaker 5 (19:37):
You don't have to be hamled.
Speaker 4 (19:38):
You got the people that you know for the first time,
never been on a stage before, they get the opportunity
to come an audition. And if you know, you who knows,
you may find a diamond in the rough.
Speaker 2 (19:51):
That's right. Sometimes it's the last thing you expect.
Speaker 5 (19:54):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (19:54):
I have a particular person here who incidentally is actually
active in the Children Squire her kids. But she sat
down behind the microphone to do a podcast and I'm
telling you she's as good as anybody in the world.
And I'm sitting there thinking right here in livingson Paris,
and I had to talk her into doing it. I
could just tell from her personality. Yeah, yeah, so it
(20:18):
does happen, and lightning does strike in those instances. Now,
what are the what have been the hurdles? What what?
Speaker 5 (20:25):
You know?
Speaker 2 (20:26):
My next question to that, and probably what a lot
of people are thinking, is well, why don't we have one?
Speaker 1 (20:30):
Then?
Speaker 2 (20:30):
Why?
Speaker 5 (20:31):
What?
Speaker 2 (20:31):
What's the hurdles to a performing arts center?
Speaker 4 (20:35):
You know that I guess money and money that's the
biggest hurdle. There is an awareness I'll say that, I'm
on the Livingston Parish Tourism Board and so it's it's
brought up, you know, periodically, so we know that it's
(20:56):
something that it needs to take place. And on the
on the government level too. There there's an awareness all
those entities have got to be brought together. I would
would say, So that's you know, that's that's that's a hurdle,
And not that they they're fighting each other. It's just
(21:16):
you got to get everybody in the same room and
get on the same page.
Speaker 2 (21:19):
Right and they have to see it as a priority
and and I certainly feel it is. Everybody in this
room right now feels it is. And there's a lot
of people out there that I'm sure feel that it's
something needed, but recognizing it's needed and then performing the
action to get it are different, and so more to me,
(21:43):
more people need to take that extra step and say, Okay,
yes we need it, now we need to perform an
action to make it happen.
Speaker 5 (21:53):
Make it happen.
Speaker 4 (21:54):
And also when they you know, when this it's funny,
I don't know if you knew miss Regina Walker. Yes,
but miss Regina used to talk to me about this
all the time that we need this, and she would
tell me all the time, and you're going to be
the one to drive the bus to get us there.
Speaker 5 (22:08):
And I'm like, okay, how I'm you know.
Speaker 4 (22:11):
I mean, but what when this happens and we get
the collective group together, then there needs there needs to
be people on that committee, that board or whatever it's
going to be, that has theater experience because what we
don't need is we don't need a building that just
(22:33):
has a stage and that it's not conducive to.
Speaker 5 (22:38):
It needs to be.
Speaker 4 (22:39):
Conducive not only to if we're having a band play there,
but or you know, the LP, the Olympics, Parish Children's choir,
or a dance recital, but it's also got to be
conducive to theater. Because there's Zachary High School has one
of them.
Speaker 5 (22:57):
It has a phenomenal theater.
Speaker 4 (22:59):
And I was it and sending pictures to Buddy MINSI
at the send him to.
Speaker 5 (23:06):
Buddy like, man, watch this, buddy. This is what we need.
Speaker 3 (23:09):
I'm talking about.
Speaker 5 (23:10):
This is what I'm talking about.
Speaker 4 (23:11):
We don't need just another venue with a stage, and
because you know it should then it's just a venue
where a band can set up and play. You know,
it has to be conducive to all of the.
Speaker 2 (23:24):
Art, absolutely, and that could be done. There are there
are buildings that are designed that way, whether it's a
band or a choir or uh, you know, plays being
performed there. It fits every every aspect of that.
Speaker 4 (23:40):
So we say hurdles the biggest one money obviously, but
but bringing all the people together that can make this happen.
Speaker 5 (23:48):
Yeah, and you know that's that's gonna have to be.
Speaker 4 (23:51):
I mean, you've got to have community involvement, but it's
gonna have to be the government. I mean, you know
you're gonna have to have government involvement.
Speaker 5 (23:57):
You know, whether the.
Speaker 4 (23:58):
Parish President's office. Uh, in course, tourism I know they
are going to be involved in bringing this about.
Speaker 2 (24:06):
Yeah, and I would imagine there are there has got
to be somewhere some grants for this stuff. And but look,
grants are no easy thing to find, They're no easy
thing to write there. They're difficult. But you know, maybe
there's a match there somewhere where you can start out
(24:27):
with a figure and and but it takes passion, It
takes everybody wanting to see this happen, all citizens, the
entire community. You know, if every all of us have
representatives at the council, whoever your council member is, give
them a call, say why don't we have a you know,
performing arts studio in this area? Watch the podcast, tell
(24:48):
them to watch the podcast. But it takes approaching these
people from a from a government perspective and saying, hey,
this is you know, something we want to see you accomplish,
and we want to see it for our parish.
Speaker 4 (25:01):
Well, you know, one thing that comes to my mind is,
you know, Scott Innes is bringing his concerts to North Park,
but you know we were losing him to Ascension Parish
right because he was doing them at the Lamar, you know,
and Lamar is not necessarily a performing.
Speaker 5 (25:20):
Arts area, but it it is a you know, it
is a facility, it's a venue.
Speaker 4 (25:26):
And so you think about, you know, what he brings
for is the concerts. You know, I mean, what was
the one he had here last summer? It was fifteen
twenty thousand people, a lot of people showing up. Just
think if you had a facility that could could handle that.
You know, I agree, and you know, I mean, God
(25:49):
bless him. He's doing it outside and outdoor concerts are amazing.
But man, when it's ninety eight degrees and one hundred
percent humidity.
Speaker 2 (25:56):
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, okay, story but.
Speaker 3 (26:00):
Ask everybody from the game last weekend. They could tell you.
But you know, one thing about what you guys were
talking about. So over the years, Spotlights made attempts, yes
and talk to a lot of people. And Robert knows
so many people in Charlotte and they're just so well
ingrained in Livingston Parish and that's been going on, but
it's been going on in pockets right. And so now
(26:21):
that we have more hands involved and we've expanded the
pool of volunteers and board members and interest and so
now we're starting to formulate our strategy of all of
these individuals that we need to get them interested enough
to have a conversation in a room. Now we have
the people to pull that together. And so now we've
(26:41):
got a vision that we can actually try to share
with everyone and say, yes, we've been doing things in
pieces and parts up to now, but now we've got
a strategy. Now we've got a plan. Now we know
exactly what we're going after, when we want to get
it and why, and let us tell you about that.
So I think the challenge for us now is to
actually start getting people to listen. You know, South Louisiana,
(27:05):
we love to go to the ballpark. We love to
watch baseball, we love to watch football. Not so much
maybe community theater. But there's a lot of people sitting
in the ballpark stands that don't play sports, but they
have a child or a grandchild, or a daughter or
a spouse who's interested. Same holds true for theater, music, arts, performance,
fun shows, activities, workshops. There's something there for everybody.
Speaker 2 (27:28):
And imagine what it can lead to. I mean, some
of these that start early, they might end up they
might end up with an oscar one day. And it
all started look at the spotlight.
Speaker 3 (27:37):
That has come out of Livingston Parish in the last
couple of years. It's here and I can tell you
firsthand the quality of the people in Livingston Parish working
with them and interacting with the group is absolutely phenomenal.
I mean, there are some wonderful people in this parish
and I've been really blessed and fortunate to meet a
(27:58):
lot of them. We've just got to get it. We
have to make everybody aware of what we're trying to
do and why you know that Aha, moments like oh
that's what y'all are doing. Yeah, right, that's where we
are right now building that.
Speaker 2 (28:09):
Yeah. And you know, I couldn't look, I couldn't think
of anything more beautiful than the All Star Performing Arts Center.
You got Matt McKay, right, I mean, and that's the thing. Look,
these companies out there that have a little bit of
extra money, you could be the Raising Caine Center of
(28:30):
Livingston Paris. Right.
Speaker 4 (28:31):
You feel like Alfalfa sometimes on Little Rascals when he says,
come on, people, we need your money.
Speaker 5 (28:37):
We've got to build a clubhouse.
Speaker 3 (28:39):
You know, Well, we're not proud we will use that line.
Speaker 5 (28:42):
Yeah, it is.
Speaker 2 (28:44):
It is certainly one of the most needed things. Yeah,
if not the most needed thing in the community. And
I want to ask miss Lane something real quick. What
would you say the benefits to the community are of
having a performing arts center.
Speaker 3 (29:02):
So we've talked a little bit about what it does
for the people of the community, the kids, the children
and the families. But you know, if you think of
the bigger picture and get to the thirty thousand foot
view a minute, you start having performances of any type,
whether it's music, whether it's the arts, what have you,
and you start drawing people into Livingston Parish. You start
(29:23):
adding to the financial success of the parish. Tax dollars,
sales dollars. Now, all of a sudden, maybe we need
more hotels because we've got people coming in because you've
got a great show coming on. I mean, it can
add so much to the economy of Livingston Parish that
cannot be overlooked. So it's got to be done. Right.
If we just go find somebody's empty warehouse and try
(29:43):
to do it, it's not going to work. It'll be fun,
we'll do it. We'll do our thing, but we're not
going to draw crowds of three and four hundred people
a night that we need to actually make it work.
So the economic benefit to the parish, elevating Livingston Parish's
RepU tation across the South, every parish could use that, sure,
no matter who you are, as a place where people
(30:06):
come to have fun and do these things. Those of
us on the board and involved in Spotlight Theater, we
go all over watching shows. We go to Bay Saint Louis,
we go to Ponchatula, we go to Ascension, we go
to Central. They have performing art venues, yeah we don't.
We have my living room and we have.
Speaker 2 (30:25):
A right everybody, everybody to Helene's tonight.
Speaker 3 (30:30):
You know, the economic benefit I don't think should be overlooked.
It's not just a dream we have as a private citizen.
It's it's it's something for the community.
Speaker 5 (30:39):
Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (30:39):
And when they're here, they're going to eat here, right,
They're going to shop here, They're gonna uh. It's really
endless the advantage from that end of the opportunities there.
I agree one hundred percent. And now let me ask
you something, Robert. You're a Primerica guy. That's what you
do in your day job. This is a lot of work,
This is a lot of Mark Robert, why do you
(31:01):
do it outside of you know, the beginning what we
talked about.
Speaker 4 (31:06):
Well, you know, I mean, obviously I love it, and
I do. I love acting, although I haven't done a
lot of it here lately because I'm doing most of
the behind the scenes work. But I'm actually going to
be in I will be acting in the spring Place,
so I'm excited about that. But I do it, you know,
(31:27):
not only because I love it, but I do want
to see I mean, my family has been in.
Speaker 5 (31:33):
This parish since eighteen thirty eight. Yeah, so the roots
go deep.
Speaker 4 (31:38):
You know, Oh, Maripoli kin to everybody out there, you know,
so when we when we moved out there, when I
was a kid of originally we lived in Baton Rouge,
but I couldn't marry anybody out there because I was
a kid and everybody, so I had to go to
Marpola final wife. Anyway, but I want to I want
(31:58):
to see the parish. We've come a long way as
a parish, you know what I'm saying. I mean, Livingson
has been the butt of a lot of jokes, okay,
and we know that, but now we're kind of the
envy of how I mean, our school system is is phenomenal.
The parish is just moving forward forward in so many directions.
(32:20):
You know, great things that's happening in this parish. And
I want, I personally want to see us move forward
in the arts because it is something that has, in
my opinion, has been neglected in the parish. So I
have a love for it obviously, but also want to
see I want to.
Speaker 5 (32:39):
See it move forward in this parish.
Speaker 4 (32:41):
And then you know, hopefully when I'm in the dirt
that uh, there is a performing arts center here and
it's going to be thriving, and it's going to be
you know, the parish is going to be known for
a place that the arts. You can go there and
you know your kids can thrive in the arts, or
anyone can thrive.
Speaker 2 (33:02):
Amen. Amen to that. And miss Alane, let me ask
you what can the community do to help at this point?
What would you recommend people do. Everybody's heard this and
every you know, let's say, everybody wants to get involved
and how can we help and what do we need
to do? What would you recommend?
Speaker 3 (33:23):
So you know, there's a number of avenues for that.
Robert talked about the fact that we can't do anything
without money to do things. It costs money to buy scripts,
to pay royalty rights on these things. It costs money
to build sets. We get donations, we get things in kind,
and that's great, but you know, we have to have
a cash flow in order to plan for the next
thing and the next thing. So donations on huge that's
(33:47):
going to help us move forward. Sometimes in the beginning
of an organization really kind of making their first push,
people are hesitant to donate because they don't know what
they're going to get back and they don't really, are
you guys going to make it? How's this going to work?
We'd love to talk to you and let you know
exactly what we need and why and what our plans are,
and let you feel some of our energy and passion
(34:09):
and I can promise you you'll be writ in a check.
We can do that absolutely, But the donations, but then also,
just do you have any interest in helping? You know,
when we do a show right now, depending on where
we are and the show type, we may have concessions.
We might need people to help with that. We need
people to take tickets at the door, we need people
to help seat, we need stage hands and set builders
(34:31):
goodness knows. So there's a whole lot of things. If
somebody's just like I may not have a lot of money.
I don't know. I'm not going to act, but kind
of sort of want to do something.
Speaker 2 (34:41):
We want to get involved.
Speaker 3 (34:42):
I invited a friend of mine to come. She and
some friends of mine have come to every show I've
been in for the last four years, and at the
last one she's like, Okay, I'm ready to be your
stage manager. Now I want to do something. Knock me over.
But it was great because she saw it and she
felt it. So donation. Get on a committee. We're not
(35:03):
to where we meet every twenty minutes. We have a plan.
Get on a committee and volunteer to do something. Help
out at a show. See what you think we'll talk about.
I'm sure some of the events coming up when we
are at the festivals, the Denim Springs, Fall Fest and
those things. That's our that's our fundraisers. So we'll have
a bake sale. Come by, throw a couple of bucks
(35:24):
in the pot, and go away with some brownies. Everybody
needs them.
Speaker 2 (35:27):
Robert Bacon brownies.
Speaker 5 (35:32):
Probably breaks.
Speaker 3 (35:34):
He's amazing at it to by the way, well, very
good help you know, just what do you what can
you do to help? And do you do you understand
what we're trying to do, does it resonate with you
at all? And then help us, help us get the
word out, help us meet people. I need some warm
introductions to people of means we can get this ball rolling.
Speaker 2 (35:52):
Yeah, absolutely, I couldn't agree more. And Robert, you know,
miss Lane brought it up. But let's talk about upcoming productions.
There anything upcoming?
Speaker 4 (36:04):
Yeah, So on October twenty fifth, we will be performing
War of the World's Radio as a radio play.
Speaker 5 (36:13):
So what what what is a radio play? Well, you know, back.
Speaker 4 (36:16):
In the thirties and forties, even up and into the sixties,
you know, radio was the medium.
Speaker 5 (36:23):
Yeah, and you didn't have a television.
Speaker 4 (36:25):
You get to go to the movies, but when you're
sitting at your home on a Wednesday night, you turn
your radio on and you would have dramas or comedies
and so what a radio and how those worked is
in the studio you would have actors and actresses holding
a script and they would read from the script and
you know, use their voices to act the show. And
(36:48):
then you had a what's called a folio artist doing
all the sound effects. So we'll be at Lashin on
October twenty fifth, and we'll be up on stage and
we will be in peer it garb, so you know,
dressed like the nineteen forties, and we'll have someone doing
sound effects, and we're going to do War the World's
(37:09):
the nineteen thirty eight broadcast, which was the Mercury Theater
with Orson Wells, which actually sent people into a frenzy
because they thought that they.
Speaker 2 (37:18):
Thought we were actually being invaded by aliens.
Speaker 4 (37:20):
Yes, I don't think that'll happen, So that's coming up next.
After that, December seventh, we will have what's called our
Rock and Christmas Review.
Speaker 5 (37:30):
It's basically it's basically just it's music.
Speaker 4 (37:33):
It'll be you know, Christmas music, but it'll be with
six piece horn section and you know, just.
Speaker 5 (37:41):
Vocalists from around the area.
Speaker 4 (37:42):
The goal that the big plan that I had was
a Dean Martin type Christmas show, but I just couldn't
get the people in time to do.
Speaker 5 (37:51):
It because a lot of the actors.
Speaker 4 (37:54):
And singers and actresses that we use, they're involved in
church churches are having their music going on. So anyway,
I'm gonna do a little bit better planning for next year,
and we will have the Dean Martin Show next year, I.
Speaker 3 (38:07):
Promise, And that show is going to be at Serenity at.
Speaker 4 (38:11):
Serenity, Yeah, the Serenity Event Center out in a between Yeah, live.
Speaker 5 (38:15):
Ooat area beautiful facility. Absolutely.
Speaker 4 (38:18):
Anyway, after that, the next show will be in the
end of March. I don't have those particular dates. But uh,
it's a Peril on the Mississippi, right that's the name
of it. Sean off Ahd will be directing, and it's
a it's a kind of a comedy mystery show on
(38:40):
a riverboat on the Mississippi River. So it's really funny,
gonna be a really funny show. So that's what's coming up,
you know, in your future. Our goal is to to
do four major productions a year, but because of limitations
right now, we we just can't do that.
Speaker 2 (38:58):
One thing about the Livings compairsh community. There's several nonprofits
in the area that are that are supported and U
Spotlight Theater there is as deserving as any other nonprofit
for all the reasons that we've talked about today. You
brought it up the way it shapes your your kids,
and then even some adults that are out there that
(39:21):
want to overcome maybe some anxiety with performing in front
of an audience, things like that, or maybe the the
next Brad Pitt is out there somewhere. You know, you
never know what can what you have right here in
your community. But look, y'all, it takes It takes money.
It takes money. Money makes the world go round, as
(39:42):
they as they say, you know, we are.
Speaker 3 (39:44):
A tax exempt nonprofits. Yeah, so we have that going
for so we can save some tax dollars for you.
Speaker 5 (39:50):
That's right.
Speaker 3 (39:51):
Anybody wants to write it chapter six or seven, we can.
Speaker 2 (39:54):
Go, yeah, that's right, there you go. Let's talk about
Facebook for second. I know that you have a social
media manager kind of handles your Facebook page and all that,
but how do people go about following you on Facebook?
Speaker 3 (40:09):
Perfect timing, because in the last couple of weeks, with
our additions to the board, we now have a marketing
and communications person, we have a social media person, all
of whom they have just been ridiculously amazing.
Speaker 2 (40:21):
They're invaluable.
Speaker 3 (40:22):
You know, our website, so we had used an acronym previously,
and you can still get there using the old one,
but the website is Spotlight Theater Players dot org the
lowercase one word literally.
Speaker 5 (40:35):
Yeah, you'll be.
Speaker 3 (40:36):
Able to reach us at info at Spotlight Theater Players
dot org for email addresses, but the website will have
our Instagram and TikTok rolling before long. And so as
we start doing our fundraisers and events, even some of
our workshops and training in between and rehearsals, we're going
to start promoting that on social media so we can
(40:57):
get the word out. So when you guys go to
Facebook and hit up Spotlight Theater Players dot org and
Spotlight Theater Players on Facebook, like it and share it please.
We've got to get the word out. That's the way
to start.
Speaker 2 (41:08):
It, absolutely. And I will link the Facebook and the
website and all that in the description of this podcast.
So if you're driving or something right now and uh,
you know, don't don't, I'm going to link it in
the description. Just got to that, click on it and
it'll bring you right to all that stuff.
Speaker 3 (41:27):
And what we're going to have on our website as well,
Jim is we're going to build out a page for
people who are interested. Yes, you know, I'm interested. I
can sing, I can dance, I want to act, I
don't know what I want to do. I just want
to talk to somebody. It's not going to be a
high pressure sales pitch, I can tell you. It's all about, Hey,
this is what we do. What do you think you
want to do? So it's one I have interest and
(41:49):
you really just want to ask us some questions when
you get out there, when you get to the website,
find the info page, send us a message. In the past,
we've not been great about responding to people because we
had few hams. Sure, but we're getting better at it.
Speaker 2 (42:03):
I am just excited to be able to sit down
with you and promote UH. And one thing I really
want to hammer down today is very important organization. We
have so many wonderful things here in Livingston Parish. We
have a beautiful antique district right here in dimm Springs
where we record out of UH and nothing fits better
(42:24):
than that than Spotlight theater players with that antique district
and and all the things we got going on around here. UH.
But it's time for us to all as a community
start acting and you know, quit talking, I guess you
could say, and that's not a harsh way. That's that's
all of us.
Speaker 3 (42:45):
You know.
Speaker 2 (42:45):
Yeah, I would question anybody that challenged whether that's was needed.
Everybody agrees that it's needed. But we need some actors
and I don't you know actors for Spotlight too, But
we need some people that are going to take action
on them us and figure out what it takes how
to get there and then follow through with it. Yeah,
(43:06):
that's the difference.
Speaker 5 (43:07):
You made me think of. You know, Walt Disney would
would dream something and then he would tell his brother Roy,
and Roy said, how how's that going to happen? He says,
It's not my job to make it. He goes, I've
dreamed it. You go find the money.
Speaker 2 (43:22):
We know that's right.
Speaker 4 (43:24):
So we need we need a Roy Disney that's gonna say, okay,
this is the you know, the money and the act
that this is the engine that's going to propel this
thing forward. I think that delegating, but yeah, that's right.
Speaker 3 (43:37):
You know I would go so far as to throw
out a challenge. Right. We need a building. Yeah, we
need a place that we can commit to and have
someone commit to let us use for a year to say,
you know what, let's figure it out, rehearse there, see
if it's good for to perform in what have you,
because the cost associated with that is you know, substantial. Sure,
(44:01):
we need a place to start from start to store
our props, to store our materials, to have the rehearsals,
to do the brainstorming. There's a lot of vacant buildings
out there, a lot, so maybe somebody's got something that
they could say, hey, y'all, come take a look if
we can work something.
Speaker 4 (44:17):
Out well, and with that, you know, I know I'm
kind of touching on something I talked about earlier, but
as I travel the country with these tribute acts, these
theaters that go to they have tribute acts.
Speaker 5 (44:33):
Coming in there every every weekend.
Speaker 4 (44:36):
Whether it's Eagles Tribute Act or you know, Elvis, which
is real popular. But one of the things we've talked
about is we get a facility, then we can when
we're not doing a show there, you can bring these
tribute acts in.
Speaker 5 (44:53):
There.
Speaker 4 (44:53):
Yeah, they're looking for a place, you know, and there's
some phenomenal tribute acts out there, you know.
Speaker 2 (44:59):
Thank you both for coming on. Any final thoughts, anything
else you want to mention before we get out.
Speaker 5 (45:03):
We need to build a clubhouse. We need to build
a club, build a club.
Speaker 3 (45:07):
Get in touch with us. We'd love to talk to
anybody that just wants to know more. We'll take it
from there.
Speaker 2 (45:12):
Absolutely, thank you. I enjoyed it, and again I can't
think of a more worthy organization than you guys to
and I'm right there with you, very passionate about getting
a facility for you guys and some other organizations around
here that is really needed.
Speaker 5 (45:32):
So thank you.
Speaker 3 (45:33):
You know, if we could do it, just a quick
thank you. Yes, Robert touched on it, but all of
the people that have been involved in the board previously
and involved with Spotlight, and all those local companies and
organizations and the churches that have allowed us to use
that for their facilities, we couldn't have gotten this far
without them. So a huge thank you to everybody in
the community that's done what they've done already. We couldn't
(45:55):
have gotten this far.
Speaker 2 (45:56):
Very good, very good, and a huge thank you to
all you listeners are listening and taking an interest in
local leaders the podcast. We're coming up on one million
downloads on YouTube. We're right around the corner from it,
and that is only because of people like you guys
that come on the show. They hear me talk every week,
you know, they're probably sicking me by now, but really
(46:19):
love and appreciate every single one of you who share
the show. Are passionate about local businesses, local nonprofits and
the like. And until next time, I'm Jim Chapman reminding
you love your community, support local business, and keep leading.
Thank you very much,
Hi, this is Lori Johnson with Hancock Whitney Bank and
you're listening to Local Leaders the podcast. Visit Local leadersthepodcast
dot com for previous episodes or for information on peering
on the show.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
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Theater players, I want to shout out our sponsor, Level Dumpsters.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
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(01:33):
Hey everyone, and welcome back to Local Leaders the podcast
and look today. I have a nonprofit here that is
very close to my heart personally. I have been to
several of the events plays, things like that that you've had.
I had a great time every time I went. And
we'll talk about that a little bit. But first, let
(01:55):
me introduce these two good folks across from me. Actually
I haven't introduced some Yeah.
Speaker 4 (02:00):
Robert Reynolds here did them Springs? And my wife and I, Charlotte.
We are the founders of Spotlight Theater Players.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
My name is Helene Wall. I've been involved with the
theater now for about four or five years, and I
am the president of the Spotlight Theater Board right now.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
Awesome, man, y'all are kind of well known here would
I would? I must say rock stars? Robert, that'll work.
And speaking of rock stars, before we get into all
the wonderful things with Spotlight Theater Players, you are a drummer. Yes,
tell me about that.
Speaker 4 (02:34):
Well, people ask him when did I start drumming? I said,
I came out the womb drumming because both of my
older brothers were drummers. Matter of fact, the oldest was
a studio drummer in Nashville, not with any major artists.
He worked with independent studios. Sadly he passed away in
ninety four, but he got to live his dream. And
(02:56):
so and then the other brother, he plays drums, but
his main instrument is guitar and he lives over in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
So I've been on the drum set all my life.
First band I can remember being m was a Maan
middle brother and I had I was about nine years old.
And then from there I was in my dad's band.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Oh wow.
Speaker 4 (03:15):
And so now what I do is I have a
band called the King Creole Orchestra, and we work with
tribute artists, mainly Elvis. About ninety percent of our work
is with Elvis tribute artists. But we travel all over
the country.
Speaker 3 (03:31):
Wow.
Speaker 4 (03:32):
Matter of fact, I'm just in July and we were
in seventeen states traveling and went all the way to Seattle.
We worked with also with Michael Jackson tribute artists, Share
tribute artists, and Patsy Kline tribute artists.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
Very good, and miss Hallane, you're also a drummer.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
You know, it's funny. I wanted to be because my
dad was a professional drummer. I really traveled all over
the South when we were kids, much to my mom's displeasure.
Speaker 5 (03:59):
Sometimes I understand.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
Yeah, I grew up in music. And interestingly, my dad
played every performance of the Baton Ridge Little Theater for
twenty seven years.
Speaker 5 (04:10):
Oh wow, I grew up.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
Sitting in the orchestra pit watching the shows. Wow, next
to all these fantastic musicians that came from Baton Rouge,
New Orleans everywhere.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
Well, it's no surprise that y'all are still involved in
you know, it's not music, but well it could be
music in some ways musicals, but still involved in performing
and and you kind of have that in you, I
must in your blood.
Speaker 1 (04:35):
Right.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
Very good. So, Robert, you mentioned you were the founder
of Spotlight Theater Players. How did that come about? Tell
me the story of how y'all?
Speaker 4 (04:46):
Yeah, So, you know, I grew up in French settlement
and it's not known for having, you know, any theater.
We have to have a gift and talented program now.
But you know, when I when I grew up there,
grew up out there. There was no outlet for the art.
You know. People asked me today did we have a
(05:06):
band in high school? And I said, yeah, it was
four of us and we played at the Moonlight in
you know, so you didn't have much of an outlet.
But I was so into I would put on plays
for my family. And when my wife and I got married,
we moved to Denham Springs and there was an organization
in the late late.
Speaker 5 (05:27):
Nineties to the early two thousand.
Speaker 4 (05:29):
It's called d SAC which stood for Dental Springs Area
Community Theater and it was formed by Dinah Tups which
anybody that's involved in any kind of theater in the
Livingston Parish area knows who Dinah Topes was. She was
the daughter of doctor Ed Walker and so her sister
is Barbara who is or the director of the Olympics
(05:52):
and Parish Children's Choir. So Dina is a phenomenal talent.
And I got involved with d Sack, I said, got involved.
We actually took my daughter at the time, she was
about six or seven years old, to audition for Charlotte's Web.
Speaker 5 (06:09):
We went they needed.
Speaker 4 (06:10):
Someone to play the part of her father mister Arable,
and they asked me if I would audition, and auditioned,
and of course I already loved theater, but I was
thirty at the time and never done anything other than
you know, the little goofy plays I put on from
a family when I was a kid, and just fell
in love with it and got involved in D Sack.
(06:33):
Then D Sack it dissolved, and so there was another
group that tried to form called Live and they had
a couple of meetings when nothing came of it. And
then we got my wife and I got involved with
the Arts Council here in Livingston Parish and I just said, look,
I want to bring theater back to Livingston Parish.
Speaker 5 (06:54):
And that's pretty much how it. You know, it evolved wonderful.
Our first show was.
Speaker 4 (07:00):
Magnolia Is in twenty eleven. It's been quite a struggle,
I'll tell you that, and we'll.
Speaker 5 (07:04):
Get into that.
Speaker 4 (07:05):
I guess about it, but I just, you know, wanted
to see live theater in Livingston Parish and so that
that's how it started.
Speaker 2 (07:13):
Wonderful. And miss Hawaiim, how did you get involved?
Speaker 3 (07:16):
So there's a wonderful networking organization. I'll give them a plug.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
It's b and I yes, yeah, I've been in I
was in it for probably five years.
Speaker 3 (07:26):
Yeah. Wonderful, wonderful organization. And so in my day job,
which is a business consultant, yea, I was involved in it.
Met some people in Livingston Parish. I live in Baton Rouge,
one of whom is an amazing networker and connector. And
she said, we started talking about hobbies and interests and
I said, oh, you know, I like music, I like
our ID love to act one day. And that's all
(07:47):
she had to hear because she's a very close friend
of Roberts and Charlotte's. Oh, you need to have lunch
with Robert Reynolds. And before we left our lunch, she
had me set up with a lunch meeting.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (07:57):
So I met with Robert. We started talking about our
business world. Then we started talking about Spotlight. He told
me what was going on and I said, dude, I'm
in do we what do we have to do this?
This may be my first chance and my only chance
to go ahead and audition for a part. I'm not
getting any younger. Let's go here. And that was five
five years ago maybe or five six years ago. And
(08:19):
so since then. I mean, I've just been lucky enough
that I've auditioned for a few parts and got them,
started working with the board and trying to help promote
because I absolutely feel the same way Robert and Charlotte
do when it comes to theater being so great a
lot of reasons, and so I just.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
Stuck, Well, you're absolutely an amazing actress. I've actually seen
you and I'm trying to remember. I believe it was
Stell Magnolia's were you in still yeah, Belchi, Yeah, yeah,
I remember, and I was like that accent is bottom.
Speaker 3 (08:53):
It was so great, It's so much fun. I just
can't even tell you.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
Yeah, well you do a wonderful job with it. And
let's kind of get into you, let into kind of
struggles with and look, anytime you're kicking off any business,
whether it's a nonprofit or for profit business, there's obviously
going to be struggles, especially when it doesn't really exist
or not on a big level wherever it is you're at.
(09:18):
I dealt with it here with the podcast. You know,
I was the first in the South Louisiana probably to
have my own studios, So it was it was a fight,
It was a struggle to get it up and going.
Let's talk about that for a second. What are the
struggles when you were starting out versus now?
Speaker 4 (09:35):
The biggest struggle, and obviously the initial struggle was okay,
you have this dream, how you're going to bring it about?
Finding you know, people that are that have the same
passion that you have. You know, I mean that say okay,
yeah we need this because there's been there's been several
organizations and they just don't last. Yeah, you know I
(09:58):
talked about d sact before or that. It was the
drama the drama room that was back in the eighties
and then it didn't you know, it was here for
a while and then it's gone. De Sac was here
for a while, then it was gone, and then of
course live didn't didn't do anything.
Speaker 5 (10:15):
So the first.
Speaker 4 (10:16):
Struggle is finding people that you know that have the
same passion want to see this take place in this Parishuh.
Then after that, the biggest struggle is there's not a
performing arts center in this parish anywhere, so you we
don't have we don't have our own facility. So you
(10:37):
have to find a facility when you want to put
on a performance. So then that limits you far as
the type of performance you're going to do.
Speaker 5 (10:48):
Yeah. So in the majority of the time we're using
a church.
Speaker 4 (10:53):
Or you know, in the past it's been uh uh,
you know, school and you're you're did on the time
that you get the building, you have to adjust your
your set building around that. I mean I build the
sets at my house and I basically build them as
a puzzle.
Speaker 5 (11:12):
Ye build them and put them together the house, Yes,
take them.
Speaker 2 (11:15):
Apart, handywork handyside too, I can assure you, yeah.
Speaker 5 (11:20):
And then you put it in.
Speaker 4 (11:21):
The crazy thing about it is the first show we
did in twenty eleven was still Magnolia's in every set
has we've used that same set, uh since twenty eleven,
just configure it.
Speaker 1 (11:35):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (11:36):
So that's the probably the greatest struggle that we have
is the location.
Speaker 5 (11:41):
Because you're thank God for.
Speaker 4 (11:44):
Holy Ground because they're they're really pleasant to work with.
But we get the facility on a Sunday after church,
so I have to get in there and put build
the set or you know, I've already basically had it built.
It's like a puzzle, but we have to assemble the
set on Sunday and then Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday
(12:06):
is will be tech and dress rehearsals.
Speaker 5 (12:09):
Thursday night's opening night. So just to put that.
Speaker 4 (12:13):
In perspective of other theaters like Battery's Little Theater, they
have months of preparation for a show and then they have,
you know, multiple weeks that they're on stage before the production.
We're on the actual stage three nights before production.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
And that's the difference of what funding brings you, right,
and the benefits of that and facilities. I have been
a proponent for many, many years of the fact that
Livingston Parish absolutely needs a performing arts yes studio, a
real building that people can go in, not only for
(12:53):
what you do, but for bands and things like that.
It's you know, the days in times of going to
see your kids in a gym. It's nice, but it's
not good for saying I mean, you know, it's echoing everywhere,
and and uh, it's something that I would love to
see come to fruition somebody to really get behind that
(13:14):
and push it. I can't think of a more worthy
organization than you good folks to have a facility like that.
And you know Baton Ridge you mentioned, Uh, they're they're
performing arts building. It's a standalone building, and they and
they they have a ton of funding because of donations
and people who have maybe they were in it and
(13:36):
they left it in their will that hey I want
to give this. Yes, yes, and and those are big things. Uh.
But I'm also a proponent of why not Livingston Parish?
Speaker 5 (13:47):
Yeah, you know, I mean you think of the size
of this parish, I mean.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
Or what We're the top growing parish in the state
of Louisiana presently.
Speaker 5 (13:57):
Yes, I try.
Speaker 4 (13:58):
Far I travel all over the country and I mean
seriously literally all of I mean East coast, West coast,
and the majority of the performances that I do in
far as music working with these Elvis guys are in
towns about the size of Denim Springs. Yeah, and every
one of them has a performing arts center. Yeah, or
(14:20):
if it's not necessarily a new performing arts center. The
the old theater that was built in right, that was
built in the twenties and thirties. It was like an
old opera house or you know, a movie theater or
a vaudeville type. Yeah, it's now the performing Arts Center,
which is wonderful. That's that's pretty neat and nostalgic.
Speaker 5 (14:39):
You know, I've been in some incredible theater.
Speaker 3 (14:41):
It's pretty geeky on stuff like that.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
Yeah, I do see, As you can see in my studio,
I have a lot of antique stuff and that's kind
of my We were.
Speaker 4 (14:50):
In Oklahoma back in July and the theater we played at,
Will Rogers performed on that stage, so I was just like,
oh my god, can you you know? This is amazing
to be on the stage at icons have been on.
Speaker 5 (15:02):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (15:03):
So anyway, the point of what I'm saying is it's
it's time. I mean, we this this is the fastest
growing parish and we need it because you know, even
I mean not just for our sake, but kind of
what you're talking about. You have graduating classes that are
going outside of this parish to have their ceremonies because
(15:26):
we don't have a facility.
Speaker 2 (15:28):
Yeah, you know, I agree one hundred percent, Miss Elaine.
What about you? What do you think?
Speaker 3 (15:31):
You know? That's that's where I get all all jazzed up,
because you know, I'm approaching this from a business perspective.
And when I joined the board, you know, we talked
about it. I'm like, guys, we're going to run this
like a business because that's the only way We're going
to make some headway and is happening, but you know,
putting a strategic plan in place, getting our financials in order,
(15:53):
getting people who are interested. We've built up the board
in the last six months. We've increased the people on
the board and we've really got some people who are
very passionate about making this work involved. So now we
have more hands to do. The work we need is
the community involvement. We need the business owners. We need
the people who are the foundation of Livingston Parish who've
(16:14):
been here all their lives, who have children and grandchildren. Now,
you know, with all the challenges that we have raising
kids and grandkids these days in the community, what better
place to keep them or put them and help them
learn life lessons than in community theater. I agree they
get to come out of their shell. I was the
shyest person on the planet. I could not speak to people. Why, oh,
(16:36):
you don't even want to know it was. It took
me thirty years to finally make the break and try something.
And when I did, I'm like, oh my goodness, if
I had known about this, I could have been a
different person. It's those little things, but the people that
support spotlight that come to every show, and there are
hundreds of them. We love what y'all do. This is
so great for our kids. I want my granddaughter to
(16:57):
be in this. We've got somebody else. We met a
new neighbor. So there's interest there. There's energy and dedication
and people willing to work on it from the board
and the committee levels. And you know, even our association
with Livingston Paris Children's Choir, the things we do in tandem.
Yes I don't sing, they sing, but you know, we've
got the interest is there. We've got to find a
(17:19):
way to get this to gel. Yeah, and then to
get to get the people interested who can make things
like this happen. And so those are our governmental leaders.
Those are the city people of the council, all of
those individuals who can look at this and say, yeah,
we see the benefit because there is benefit there.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
Oh, there's a huge benefit to it. And it's all
the reasons you just listed. Especially acting enables people to
come out of their shell a little bit. It enables
you to really put yourself out there. And I'll use
just a quick example of how important this type of
thing is. My wife is a very shy person, which
is really weird because I'm not. We are definitely total
(18:01):
opposites on that spectrum. But in order to get herself
out of her shell, she forced herself to speak at church.
That was her thing, I'm going to be I'm going
to read the word at church. And it was frightening
to her, but she got up, she did it, and
every time she did it, she became more comfortable with it.
(18:22):
Same thing, you know, that would be a perfect form
acting and participating in Spotlight theater players, a perfect form
of learning to engage and step outside of your comfort zone,
which is so important to young people but also to
older folks you know as well.
Speaker 3 (18:39):
So take that one step further. In addition to the
Christmas show and the plays that we do and the
different things like that, you know, our goal is to
expand into doing workshops, working with kids, working with teenagers.
We'd love to have an improv class. We'd love to
have people come out and just try it in a
safe space and just have some fun. You don't have
(19:00):
to be a rock star, you don't have to do
it all. Just have some fun, you know, get out
there and let yourself enjoy life a little bit. Yeah,
we can't do that if we're hopping around trying to
find a spot.
Speaker 2 (19:11):
Yep, that's right.
Speaker 3 (19:12):
I mean we had we had for the Elvis Show.
We rehearsed seven different places in six weeks, one of
which mean my living room. Oh there you go, cleared
out all the furniture and build a set halfway.
Speaker 4 (19:23):
So it was a thing, thank you wonderful and you're
and the key And what she's you know, she said,
is it's community theaters. So that means anyone, anyone, if
anyone is and you don't have to.
Speaker 2 (19:36):
You don't have to be hamlet.
Speaker 5 (19:37):
You don't have to be hamled.
Speaker 4 (19:38):
You got the people that you know for the first time,
never been on a stage before, they get the opportunity
to come an audition. And if you know, you who knows,
you may find a diamond in the rough.
Speaker 2 (19:51):
That's right. Sometimes it's the last thing you expect.
Speaker 5 (19:54):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (19:54):
I have a particular person here who incidentally is actually
active in the Children Squire her kids. But she sat
down behind the microphone to do a podcast and I'm
telling you she's as good as anybody in the world.
And I'm sitting there thinking right here in livingson Paris,
and I had to talk her into doing it. I
could just tell from her personality. Yeah, yeah, so it
(20:18):
does happen, and lightning does strike in those instances. Now,
what are the what have been the hurdles? What what?
Speaker 5 (20:25):
You know?
Speaker 2 (20:26):
My next question to that, and probably what a lot
of people are thinking, is well, why don't we have one?
Speaker 1 (20:30):
Then?
Speaker 2 (20:30):
Why?
Speaker 5 (20:31):
What?
Speaker 2 (20:31):
What's the hurdles to a performing arts center?
Speaker 4 (20:35):
You know that I guess money and money that's the
biggest hurdle. There is an awareness I'll say that, I'm
on the Livingston Parish Tourism Board and so it's it's
brought up, you know, periodically, so we know that it's
(20:56):
something that it needs to take place. And on the
on the government level too. There there's an awareness all
those entities have got to be brought together. I would
would say, So that's you know, that's that's that's a hurdle,
And not that they they're fighting each other. It's just
(21:16):
you got to get everybody in the same room and
get on the same page.
Speaker 2 (21:19):
Right and they have to see it as a priority
and and I certainly feel it is. Everybody in this
room right now feels it is. And there's a lot
of people out there that I'm sure feel that it's
something needed, but recognizing it's needed and then performing the
action to get it are different, and so more to me,
(21:43):
more people need to take that extra step and say, Okay,
yes we need it, now we need to perform an
action to make it happen.
Speaker 5 (21:53):
Make it happen.
Speaker 4 (21:54):
And also when they you know, when this it's funny,
I don't know if you knew miss Regina Walker. Yes,
but miss Regina used to talk to me about this
all the time that we need this, and she would
tell me all the time, and you're going to be
the one to drive the bus to get us there.
Speaker 5 (22:08):
And I'm like, okay, how I'm you know.
Speaker 4 (22:11):
I mean, but what when this happens and we get
the collective group together, then there needs there needs to
be people on that committee, that board or whatever it's
going to be, that has theater experience because what we
don't need is we don't need a building that just
(22:33):
has a stage and that it's not conducive to.
Speaker 5 (22:38):
It needs to be.
Speaker 4 (22:39):
Conducive not only to if we're having a band play there,
but or you know, the LP, the Olympics, Parish Children's choir,
or a dance recital, but it's also got to be
conducive to theater. Because there's Zachary High School has one
of them.
Speaker 5 (22:57):
It has a phenomenal theater.
Speaker 4 (22:59):
And I was it and sending pictures to Buddy MINSI
at the send him to.
Speaker 5 (23:06):
Buddy like, man, watch this, buddy. This is what we need.
Speaker 3 (23:09):
I'm talking about.
Speaker 5 (23:10):
This is what I'm talking about.
Speaker 4 (23:11):
We don't need just another venue with a stage, and
because you know it should then it's just a venue
where a band can set up and play. You know,
it has to be conducive to all of the.
Speaker 2 (23:24):
Art, absolutely, and that could be done. There are there
are buildings that are designed that way, whether it's a
band or a choir or uh, you know, plays being
performed there. It fits every every aspect of that.
Speaker 4 (23:40):
So we say hurdles the biggest one money obviously, but
but bringing all the people together that can make this happen.
Speaker 5 (23:48):
Yeah, and you know that's that's gonna have to be.
Speaker 4 (23:51):
I mean, you've got to have community involvement, but it's
gonna have to be the government. I mean, you know
you're gonna have to have government involvement.
Speaker 5 (23:57):
You know, whether the.
Speaker 4 (23:58):
Parish President's office. Uh, in course, tourism I know they
are going to be involved in bringing this about.
Speaker 2 (24:06):
Yeah, and I would imagine there are there has got
to be somewhere some grants for this stuff. And but look,
grants are no easy thing to find, They're no easy
thing to write there. They're difficult. But you know, maybe
there's a match there somewhere where you can start out
(24:27):
with a figure and and but it takes passion, It
takes everybody wanting to see this happen, all citizens, the
entire community. You know, if every all of us have
representatives at the council, whoever your council member is, give
them a call, say why don't we have a you know,
performing arts studio in this area? Watch the podcast, tell
(24:48):
them to watch the podcast. But it takes approaching these
people from a from a government perspective and saying, hey,
this is you know, something we want to see you accomplish,
and we want to see it for our parish.
Speaker 4 (25:01):
Well, you know, one thing that comes to my mind is,
you know, Scott Innes is bringing his concerts to North Park,
but you know we were losing him to Ascension Parish
right because he was doing them at the Lamar, you know,
and Lamar is not necessarily a performing.
Speaker 5 (25:20):
Arts area, but it it is a you know, it
is a facility, it's a venue.
Speaker 4 (25:26):
And so you think about, you know, what he brings
for is the concerts. You know, I mean, what was
the one he had here last summer? It was fifteen
twenty thousand people, a lot of people showing up. Just
think if you had a facility that could could handle that.
You know, I agree, and you know, I mean, God
(25:49):
bless him. He's doing it outside and outdoor concerts are amazing.
But man, when it's ninety eight degrees and one hundred
percent humidity.
Speaker 2 (25:56):
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, okay, story but.
Speaker 3 (26:00):
Ask everybody from the game last weekend. They could tell you.
But you know, one thing about what you guys were
talking about. So over the years, Spotlights made attempts, yes
and talk to a lot of people. And Robert knows
so many people in Charlotte and they're just so well
ingrained in Livingston Parish and that's been going on, but
it's been going on in pockets right. And so now
(26:21):
that we have more hands involved and we've expanded the
pool of volunteers and board members and interest and so
now we're starting to formulate our strategy of all of
these individuals that we need to get them interested enough
to have a conversation in a room. Now we have
the people to pull that together. And so now we've
(26:41):
got a vision that we can actually try to share
with everyone and say, yes, we've been doing things in
pieces and parts up to now, but now we've got
a strategy. Now we've got a plan. Now we know
exactly what we're going after, when we want to get
it and why, and let us tell you about that.
So I think the challenge for us now is to
actually start getting people to listen. You know, South Louisiana,
(27:05):
we love to go to the ballpark. We love to
watch baseball, we love to watch football. Not so much
maybe community theater. But there's a lot of people sitting
in the ballpark stands that don't play sports, but they
have a child or a grandchild, or a daughter or
a spouse who's interested. Same holds true for theater, music, arts, performance,
fun shows, activities, workshops. There's something there for everybody.
Speaker 2 (27:28):
And imagine what it can lead to. I mean, some
of these that start early, they might end up they
might end up with an oscar one day. And it
all started look at the spotlight.
Speaker 3 (27:37):
That has come out of Livingston Parish in the last
couple of years. It's here and I can tell you
firsthand the quality of the people in Livingston Parish working
with them and interacting with the group is absolutely phenomenal.
I mean, there are some wonderful people in this parish
and I've been really blessed and fortunate to meet a
(27:58):
lot of them. We've just got to get it. We
have to make everybody aware of what we're trying to
do and why you know that Aha, moments like oh
that's what y'all are doing. Yeah, right, that's where we
are right now building that.
Speaker 2 (28:09):
Yeah. And you know, I couldn't look, I couldn't think
of anything more beautiful than the All Star Performing Arts Center.
You got Matt McKay, right, I mean, and that's the thing. Look,
these companies out there that have a little bit of
extra money, you could be the Raising Caine Center of
(28:30):
Livingston Paris. Right.
Speaker 4 (28:31):
You feel like Alfalfa sometimes on Little Rascals when he says,
come on, people, we need your money.
Speaker 5 (28:37):
We've got to build a clubhouse.
Speaker 3 (28:39):
You know, Well, we're not proud we will use that line.
Speaker 5 (28:42):
Yeah, it is.
Speaker 2 (28:44):
It is certainly one of the most needed things. Yeah,
if not the most needed thing in the community. And
I want to ask miss Lane something real quick. What
would you say the benefits to the community are of
having a performing arts center.
Speaker 3 (29:02):
So we've talked a little bit about what it does
for the people of the community, the kids, the children
and the families. But you know, if you think of
the bigger picture and get to the thirty thousand foot
view a minute, you start having performances of any type,
whether it's music, whether it's the arts, what have you,
and you start drawing people into Livingston Parish. You start
(29:23):
adding to the financial success of the parish. Tax dollars,
sales dollars. Now, all of a sudden, maybe we need
more hotels because we've got people coming in because you've
got a great show coming on. I mean, it can
add so much to the economy of Livingston Parish that
cannot be overlooked. So it's got to be done. Right.
If we just go find somebody's empty warehouse and try
(29:43):
to do it, it's not going to work. It'll be fun,
we'll do it. We'll do our thing, but we're not
going to draw crowds of three and four hundred people
a night that we need to actually make it work.
So the economic benefit to the parish, elevating Livingston Parish's
RepU tation across the South, every parish could use that, sure,
no matter who you are, as a place where people
(30:06):
come to have fun and do these things. Those of
us on the board and involved in Spotlight Theater, we
go all over watching shows. We go to Bay Saint Louis,
we go to Ponchatula, we go to Ascension, we go
to Central. They have performing art venues, yeah we don't.
We have my living room and we have.
Speaker 2 (30:25):
A right everybody, everybody to Helene's tonight.
Speaker 3 (30:30):
You know, the economic benefit I don't think should be overlooked.
It's not just a dream we have as a private citizen.
It's it's it's something for the community.
Speaker 5 (30:39):
Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (30:39):
And when they're here, they're going to eat here, right,
They're going to shop here, They're gonna uh. It's really
endless the advantage from that end of the opportunities there.
I agree one hundred percent. And now let me ask
you something, Robert. You're a Primerica guy. That's what you
do in your day job. This is a lot of work,
This is a lot of Mark Robert, why do you
(31:01):
do it outside of you know, the beginning what we
talked about.
Speaker 4 (31:06):
Well, you know, I mean, obviously I love it, and
I do. I love acting, although I haven't done a
lot of it here lately because I'm doing most of
the behind the scenes work. But I'm actually going to
be in I will be acting in the spring Place,
so I'm excited about that. But I do it, you know,
(31:27):
not only because I love it, but I do want
to see I mean, my family has been in.
Speaker 5 (31:33):
This parish since eighteen thirty eight. Yeah, so the roots
go deep.
Speaker 4 (31:38):
You know, Oh, Maripoli kin to everybody out there, you know,
so when we when we moved out there, when I
was a kid of originally we lived in Baton Rouge,
but I couldn't marry anybody out there because I was
a kid and everybody, so I had to go to
Marpola final wife. Anyway, but I want to I want
(31:58):
to see the parish. We've come a long way as
a parish, you know what I'm saying. I mean, Livingson
has been the butt of a lot of jokes, okay,
and we know that, but now we're kind of the
envy of how I mean, our school system is is phenomenal.
The parish is just moving forward forward in so many directions.
(32:20):
You know, great things that's happening in this parish. And
I want, I personally want to see us move forward
in the arts because it is something that has, in
my opinion, has been neglected in the parish. So I
have a love for it obviously, but also want to
see I want to.
Speaker 5 (32:39):
See it move forward in this parish.
Speaker 4 (32:41):
And then you know, hopefully when I'm in the dirt
that uh, there is a performing arts center here and
it's going to be thriving, and it's going to be
you know, the parish is going to be known for
a place that the arts. You can go there and
you know your kids can thrive in the arts, or
anyone can thrive.
Speaker 2 (33:02):
Amen. Amen to that. And miss Alane, let me ask
you what can the community do to help at this point?
What would you recommend people do. Everybody's heard this and
every you know, let's say, everybody wants to get involved
and how can we help and what do we need
to do? What would you recommend?
Speaker 3 (33:23):
So you know, there's a number of avenues for that.
Robert talked about the fact that we can't do anything
without money to do things. It costs money to buy scripts,
to pay royalty rights on these things. It costs money
to build sets. We get donations, we get things in kind,
and that's great, but you know, we have to have
a cash flow in order to plan for the next
thing and the next thing. So donations on huge that's
(33:47):
going to help us move forward. Sometimes in the beginning
of an organization really kind of making their first push,
people are hesitant to donate because they don't know what
they're going to get back and they don't really, are
you guys going to make it? How's this going to work?
We'd love to talk to you and let you know
exactly what we need and why and what our plans are,
and let you feel some of our energy and passion
(34:09):
and I can promise you you'll be writ in a check.
We can do that absolutely, But the donations, but then also,
just do you have any interest in helping? You know,
when we do a show right now, depending on where
we are and the show type, we may have concessions.
We might need people to help with that. We need
people to take tickets at the door, we need people
to help seat, we need stage hands and set builders
(34:31):
goodness knows. So there's a whole lot of things. If
somebody's just like I may not have a lot of money.
I don't know. I'm not going to act, but kind
of sort of want to do something.
Speaker 2 (34:41):
We want to get involved.
Speaker 3 (34:42):
I invited a friend of mine to come. She and
some friends of mine have come to every show I've
been in for the last four years, and at the
last one she's like, Okay, I'm ready to be your
stage manager. Now I want to do something. Knock me over.
But it was great because she saw it and she
felt it. So donation. Get on a committee. We're not
(35:03):
to where we meet every twenty minutes. We have a plan.
Get on a committee and volunteer to do something. Help
out at a show. See what you think we'll talk about.
I'm sure some of the events coming up when we
are at the festivals, the Denim Springs, Fall Fest and
those things. That's our that's our fundraisers. So we'll have
a bake sale. Come by, throw a couple of bucks
(35:24):
in the pot, and go away with some brownies. Everybody
needs them.
Speaker 2 (35:27):
Robert Bacon brownies.
Speaker 5 (35:32):
Probably breaks.
Speaker 3 (35:34):
He's amazing at it to by the way, well, very
good help you know, just what do you what can
you do to help? And do you do you understand
what we're trying to do, does it resonate with you
at all? And then help us, help us get the
word out, help us meet people. I need some warm
introductions to people of means we can get this ball rolling.
Speaker 2 (35:52):
Yeah, absolutely, I couldn't agree more. And Robert, you know,
miss Lane brought it up. But let's talk about upcoming productions.
There anything upcoming?
Speaker 4 (36:04):
Yeah, So on October twenty fifth, we will be performing
War of the World's Radio as a radio play.
Speaker 5 (36:13):
So what what what is a radio play? Well, you know, back.
Speaker 4 (36:16):
In the thirties and forties, even up and into the sixties,
you know, radio was the medium.
Speaker 5 (36:23):
Yeah, and you didn't have a television.
Speaker 4 (36:25):
You get to go to the movies, but when you're
sitting at your home on a Wednesday night, you turn
your radio on and you would have dramas or comedies
and so what a radio and how those worked is
in the studio you would have actors and actresses holding
a script and they would read from the script and
you know, use their voices to act the show. And
(36:48):
then you had a what's called a folio artist doing
all the sound effects. So we'll be at Lashin on
October twenty fifth, and we'll be up on stage and
we will be in peer it garb, so you know,
dressed like the nineteen forties, and we'll have someone doing
sound effects, and we're going to do War the World's
(37:09):
the nineteen thirty eight broadcast, which was the Mercury Theater
with Orson Wells, which actually sent people into a frenzy
because they thought that they.
Speaker 2 (37:18):
Thought we were actually being invaded by aliens.
Speaker 4 (37:20):
Yes, I don't think that'll happen, So that's coming up next.
After that, December seventh, we will have what's called our
Rock and Christmas Review.
Speaker 5 (37:30):
It's basically it's basically just it's music.
Speaker 4 (37:33):
It'll be you know, Christmas music, but it'll be with
six piece horn section and you know, just.
Speaker 5 (37:41):
Vocalists from around the area.
Speaker 4 (37:42):
The goal that the big plan that I had was
a Dean Martin type Christmas show, but I just couldn't
get the people in time to do.
Speaker 5 (37:51):
It because a lot of the actors.
Speaker 4 (37:54):
And singers and actresses that we use, they're involved in
church churches are having their music going on. So anyway,
I'm gonna do a little bit better planning for next year,
and we will have the Dean Martin Show next year, I.
Speaker 3 (38:07):
Promise, And that show is going to be at Serenity at.
Speaker 4 (38:11):
Serenity, Yeah, the Serenity Event Center out in a between Yeah, live.
Speaker 5 (38:15):
Ooat area beautiful facility. Absolutely.
Speaker 4 (38:18):
Anyway, after that, the next show will be in the
end of March. I don't have those particular dates. But uh,
it's a Peril on the Mississippi, right that's the name
of it. Sean off Ahd will be directing, and it's
a it's a kind of a comedy mystery show on
(38:40):
a riverboat on the Mississippi River. So it's really funny,
gonna be a really funny show. So that's what's coming up,
you know, in your future. Our goal is to to
do four major productions a year, but because of limitations
right now, we we just can't do that.
Speaker 2 (38:58):
One thing about the Livings compairsh community. There's several nonprofits
in the area that are that are supported and U
Spotlight Theater there is as deserving as any other nonprofit
for all the reasons that we've talked about today. You
brought it up the way it shapes your your kids,
and then even some adults that are out there that
(39:21):
want to overcome maybe some anxiety with performing in front
of an audience, things like that, or maybe the the
next Brad Pitt is out there somewhere. You know, you
never know what can what you have right here in
your community. But look, y'all, it takes It takes money.
It takes money. Money makes the world go round, as
(39:42):
they as they say, you know, we are.
Speaker 3 (39:44):
A tax exempt nonprofits. Yeah, so we have that going
for so we can save some tax dollars for you.
Speaker 5 (39:50):
That's right.
Speaker 3 (39:51):
Anybody wants to write it chapter six or seven, we can.
Speaker 2 (39:54):
Go, yeah, that's right, there you go. Let's talk about
Facebook for second. I know that you have a social
media manager kind of handles your Facebook page and all that,
but how do people go about following you on Facebook?
Speaker 3 (40:09):
Perfect timing, because in the last couple of weeks, with
our additions to the board, we now have a marketing
and communications person, we have a social media person, all
of whom they have just been ridiculously amazing.
Speaker 2 (40:21):
They're invaluable.
Speaker 3 (40:22):
You know, our website, so we had used an acronym previously,
and you can still get there using the old one,
but the website is Spotlight Theater Players dot org the
lowercase one word literally.
Speaker 5 (40:35):
Yeah, you'll be.
Speaker 3 (40:36):
Able to reach us at info at Spotlight Theater Players
dot org for email addresses, but the website will have
our Instagram and TikTok rolling before long. And so as
we start doing our fundraisers and events, even some of
our workshops and training in between and rehearsals, we're going
to start promoting that on social media so we can
(40:57):
get the word out. So when you guys go to
Facebook and hit up Spotlight Theater Players dot org and
Spotlight Theater Players on Facebook, like it and share it please.
We've got to get the word out. That's the way
to start.
Speaker 2 (41:08):
It, absolutely. And I will link the Facebook and the
website and all that in the description of this podcast.
So if you're driving or something right now and uh,
you know, don't don't, I'm going to link it in
the description. Just got to that, click on it and
it'll bring you right to all that stuff.
Speaker 3 (41:27):
And what we're going to have on our website as well,
Jim is we're going to build out a page for
people who are interested. Yes, you know, I'm interested. I
can sing, I can dance, I want to act, I
don't know what I want to do. I just want
to talk to somebody. It's not going to be a
high pressure sales pitch, I can tell you. It's all about, Hey,
this is what we do. What do you think you
want to do? So it's one I have interest and
(41:49):
you really just want to ask us some questions when
you get out there, when you get to the website,
find the info page, send us a message. In the past,
we've not been great about responding to people because we
had few hams. Sure, but we're getting better at it.
Speaker 2 (42:03):
I am just excited to be able to sit down
with you and promote UH. And one thing I really
want to hammer down today is very important organization. We
have so many wonderful things here in Livingston Parish. We
have a beautiful antique district right here in dimm Springs
where we record out of UH and nothing fits better
(42:24):
than that than Spotlight theater players with that antique district
and and all the things we got going on around here. UH.
But it's time for us to all as a community
start acting and you know, quit talking, I guess you
could say, and that's not a harsh way. That's that's
all of us.
Speaker 3 (42:45):
You know.
Speaker 2 (42:45):
Yeah, I would question anybody that challenged whether that's was needed.
Everybody agrees that it's needed. But we need some actors
and I don't you know actors for Spotlight too, But
we need some people that are going to take action
on them us and figure out what it takes how
to get there and then follow through with it. Yeah,
(43:06):
that's the difference.
Speaker 5 (43:07):
You made me think of. You know, Walt Disney would
would dream something and then he would tell his brother Roy,
and Roy said, how how's that going to happen? He says,
It's not my job to make it. He goes, I've
dreamed it. You go find the money.
Speaker 2 (43:22):
We know that's right.
Speaker 4 (43:24):
So we need we need a Roy Disney that's gonna say, okay,
this is the you know, the money and the act
that this is the engine that's going to propel this
thing forward. I think that delegating, but yeah, that's right.
Speaker 3 (43:37):
You know I would go so far as to throw
out a challenge. Right. We need a building. Yeah, we
need a place that we can commit to and have
someone commit to let us use for a year to say,
you know what, let's figure it out, rehearse there, see
if it's good for to perform in what have you,
because the cost associated with that is you know, substantial. Sure,
(44:01):
we need a place to start from start to store
our props, to store our materials, to have the rehearsals,
to do the brainstorming. There's a lot of vacant buildings
out there, a lot, so maybe somebody's got something that
they could say, hey, y'all, come take a look if
we can work something.
Speaker 4 (44:17):
Out well, and with that, you know, I know I'm
kind of touching on something I talked about earlier, but
as I travel the country with these tribute acts, these
theaters that go to they have tribute acts.
Speaker 5 (44:33):
Coming in there every every weekend.
Speaker 4 (44:36):
Whether it's Eagles Tribute Act or you know, Elvis, which
is real popular. But one of the things we've talked
about is we get a facility, then we can when
we're not doing a show there, you can bring these
tribute acts in.
Speaker 5 (44:53):
There.
Speaker 4 (44:53):
Yeah, they're looking for a place, you know, and there's
some phenomenal tribute acts out there, you know.
Speaker 2 (44:59):
Thank you both for coming on. Any final thoughts, anything
else you want to mention before we get out.
Speaker 5 (45:03):
We need to build a clubhouse. We need to build
a club, build a club.
Speaker 3 (45:07):
Get in touch with us. We'd love to talk to
anybody that just wants to know more. We'll take it
from there.
Speaker 2 (45:12):
Absolutely, thank you. I enjoyed it, and again I can't
think of a more worthy organization than you guys to
and I'm right there with you, very passionate about getting
a facility for you guys and some other organizations around
here that is really needed.
Speaker 5 (45:32):
So thank you.
Speaker 3 (45:33):
You know, if we could do it, just a quick
thank you. Yes, Robert touched on it, but all of
the people that have been involved in the board previously
and involved with Spotlight, and all those local companies and
organizations and the churches that have allowed us to use
that for their facilities, we couldn't have gotten this far
without them. So a huge thank you to everybody in
the community that's done what they've done already. We couldn't
(45:55):
have gotten this far.
Speaker 2 (45:56):
Very good, very good, and a huge thank you to
all you listeners are listening and taking an interest in
local leaders the podcast. We're coming up on one million
downloads on YouTube. We're right around the corner from it,
and that is only because of people like you guys
that come on the show. They hear me talk every week,
you know, they're probably sicking me by now, but really
(46:19):
love and appreciate every single one of you who share
the show. Are passionate about local businesses, local nonprofits and
the like. And until next time, I'm Jim Chapman reminding
you love your community, support local business, and keep leading.
Thank you very much,
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