The Theatre Steering Committee of the South Arkansas Arts Center has announced plans to honor SAAC’s rich theatrical past with an exhibition of photo montages of shows from the organization’s half-century of history. Entitled “Love Letters to SAAC,” the exhibit will include photography from shows throughout the decades and will be on display in the Merkle Gallery December 1-20.
The exhibition will be celebrated with a socially-distanced reception at 6 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 4. While there is no entry fee, guests are asked to RSVP for a limited-entry time slot at saac-arts.org. In the gallery, they can enjoy a single-serving refreshment and take a walk down memory lane while viewing the montages.
SAAC is also asking guests to help identify a few of the stars of days gone by.
Mary Egerer, who has been an integral part of the SAAC theatre community since her first production of “The Sound of Music” in 1966, is enthusiastic about the prospect of seeing so many photo montages again.
“They bring back so many memories, from friends I haven’t seen in many years to the specific details of the costumes and the music from the different shows,” she said. “We need to find a way to remember everyone who has been a part of this wonderful organization and our lives!”
The event will also be an opportunity to purchase tickets for the extremely limited seats to SAAC’s production of “Love Letters” by A.R. Gurney, scheduled for December 18-20.
“Love Letters” is the story of Melissa and Andrew, childhood friends who grow up and go off to college, war and careers. They remain in touch via handwritten letters, and even kindle a brief romance for a time. The play is told entirely in correspondence, over the course of about 50 years. As the letters they send to each other are read aloud, it creates an evocative, touching, frequently funny, but very revealing and meaningful story of two lives.
To ensure social distancing, the performances are limited to 50 tickets, which must be reserved at saac-arts.com or by calling 870-862-5474. Face coverings are required.
“Although we can’t produce large-scale theatrical productions and musicals because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the theatre committee really wanted to find a way to produce something creative for the community that could be done safely and for a very small audience,” said executive director Laura Allen. “This show presents a wonderful solution without sacrificing the author’s intent.”
To honor our community’s sacrifices during this ongoing pandemic, all tickets are available for the SAAC member price of $10. Call 870-862-5474 or visit the website for more information.