In its second appearance of the season, the Starkville Community Theatre group is prepping for its performance of “Laura.” The play involves a detective who investigates the murder of a girl whose name inspires the work’s title.In its 30th season of performances, “Laura” is the second of four plays the local group will perform.
A cast of eight was chosen to act in the play, and it has had six weeks of rehearsal to prepare. However, the cast lost its Laura almost as quickly as it found her.
“We lost one of our leads [about] two weeks in,” said Gabe Smith, a Mississippi State alumnus who portrays detective Mark McPherson, the male lead.
Despite the setback, director Thomas La Foe and assistant director Lyle Tate had a replacement for the actor within 24 hours, Smith said. He said the 19-year-old replacement was younger than the rest of the cast, but she worked hard and fit in the cast.
“This is probably the most easy-going cast I’ve been with,” Smith said.
Tate said the detective eventually falls in love with the idea of this girl in the middle of the investigation.
“It’s based on a 1940s novel by the same name,” Tate said. “It’s very much a murder-mystery.”
Tate said rehearsals have shown promise and the actors, some of whom have ties to MSU, are working on the final pre-performance rehearsals.
“Some of the cast members are students at State,” Tate said. “Anna Smith and T.J. Crane are both students at State, and Thomas La Foe and I are both graduate students.”
Smith and Crane both were in Theatre MSU productions. They were also involved in Lab Rats, the campus comedy troupe.
“It’s great to be able to do another show with Gabe,” Crane said.
Smith and Crane said “Laura” is different than their normal comedy performances.
“It’s the kind of part I almost never get to read for,” Smith said. “Now I’m playing just the good guy detective, when normally I’m the killer or the guy just sweating and screaming and flailing his arms about who the killer is.”
Smith has participated in at least 10 shows at the SCT since 2002, whether he is on-stage, off-stage or in one-act plays.
“I’ll probably stick around in there forever if I stay in town,” he said.
The SCT has held more than 100 shows since it opened in 1978.
“A woman named Jan Zeppelin thought the community needed a theatre,” said Pattye Archer, president of the SCT. “She spoke to the Chamber of Commerce and they put a notice in the Starkville Daily News announcing an interest meeting. More than 50 people attended that first meeting and we have been going strong ever since.”
She said a regular season normally brings four shows. The 2007 season kicked off with “Noises Off.” Starkville Community Theatre will host the plays “The Cover of Life” and “Forever Plaid” later in the season.
Auditions for “The Cover of Life” will be Oct. 28 and 29.
“We typically cast the next show in the middle of the current performance,” Tate said.
Tate said he encourages people to call for reservations because of the venue’s small size and demand for tickets.
“We’ll do eight performances of this performance. Normally there are nine, but the Johnny Cash Festival is next weekend and the road will be closed off,” Tate said. “I know opening night is, if not sold out, full. Starkville’s audience is always real good. I think the first weekend is filling up anyway.”
Performances of “Laura” will be held at the theater on Main Street from Oct. 25-27 and from Oct. 30-Nov. 2.
Tickets are $12 for general admission, $10 for seniors and $7 for students with an MSU ID. More information about the SCT is available online at www.sct-online.org.