Building Community Through Play, Put Into Action
Since its inception, Fayette County Community Theatre has boasted the tag line and ascribed to the motto of “Building Community Through Play”. Time and time again this has been true in so many ways. This past weekend was no different.
Saturday, November 5th, the cast and crew were preparing for the second performance of The Great Gatsby. At 4:57 p.m., three minutes until “call time” when all participants were to begin arriving to dress in costumes, get make-up and hair done, and warm up, a text message came into the group text thread for actors, crew and directors.
“I’m at Hruskas with a flat tire,” said the actor playing Tom Buchanan, Brandon Theut of Columbus. He was unable to change the tire without a key to the spare. Will Martin of La Grange, who was already dressed and ready to go on stage as a dancer, extra, and crew member jumped in his truck and went to pick up Theut. When he arrived, Theut jumped in Martin’s truck and headed to the Pavilion Hall on the grounds of the Texas Czech Heritage and Cultural Center where early seating audience members were beginning to arrive. Martin stayed with the vehicle to wait for a tow truck or repair.
Coincidentally, Ben Madison of Fayetteville was thirsty and decided to stop at Hruskas for a Gatorade. Unable to be involved on or backstage with this play because of other obligations, Madison had just been volunteering the night before in the front of the house. When he saw Martin with the truck he recognized him immediately and went over to help. Madison patched the tire and Martin arrived back at the pavilion minutes before he was to go on stage!
“We started the play not knowing if Will would make it back in time,” said FCCT Executive Director and the play’s Co-director Heather Barthelme. “But the show must go on! So Ellen (Hardin, Co director) and I just told them to start and hoped he would make it. And make it he did! We’re so proud of their teamwork!”
What does this all have to do with “Building Community Through Play”? These three men were each performing in their first FCCT production exactly one year ago. They met at auditions for Of Mice and Men and shared seven weeks of rehearsal and three incredible performances. They built community through play.