Farewell to Dub For Now

It is time.  Time to set aside my redneck ways.  Well, at least until next season of WACT (Waycross Area Community Theater).

Dub Dubberly was a joy to play, and a very interesting kind of redneck he was.  If you didn't see the play, maybe you can catch the sequel this coming Christmas season, when WACT will put on Christmas Belles.

WACT in fact is doing two more southern comedies next season, just as it did the season just ended (The Dixie Swim Club, which I directed and the just concluded Dearly Beloved).  In addition to Christmas Belles, the first play of the season will be The Beverly Hillbillies.

Yes, I do wish WACT would do a wider variety of plays than just Southern comedies and family musicals.  But we are, after all, in the South, and box office is important.

It would be nice to see a few more socially conscious plays done at WACT.  The last one was two seasons ago, Driving Miss Daisy, which, of course, was set in the South.  My dream play has always been Inherit the Wind (ALSO set in the South), but that is probably not to be.  Not only does it have social/religious problems, it has a very large cast of male actors.

But not every theater can do everything that a community needs.  Flying Dragon Arts Center offers more support and training for children.  It offers a place where kids can learn and grow in a positive environment.  Every child can get their chance to shine.  Trembling Earth productions offer a greater little theater experience, where a small troupe of actors present a high level of professionalism.

And a new group is emerging, the Purlie Victorious Players, that will perform more socially conscious plays in The Studio at the Okefenokee Heritage Center.

There are groups that specialize more in dance, and others provide lessons for acting or modeling or music.

The school systems in the area have vibrant drama programs that offer first rate entertainment.  Pierce County is almost always highly competitive in One Act Competition.  Ware County puts on rollicking full-scale musical each year.

My son joined a film club at his middle school, and put together a marvelous film, The Life of A Middle Schooler.

So when you look at the entire theater scene of our little area, it is much richer and varied than at first glance, and one that I and my family are proud to be a part of.