Durango Arts Center presents new repertoire theater with ‘True West’ – The Durango Herald

The Durango Arts Repertory Theater offers a wide range of projects

The Durango Arts Center theater is growing with the formation of its new Durango Arts Repertory Theater – and it wants you to come play.

Jason Lythgoe, is the artistic director of DART, with Tess Wisher, general manager. Repertory theater is something Lythgoe has been thinking about for years.

“When I came to town to do the Strater shows six years ago and ended up staying here to take the DAC job, I had many conversations with a lot of theater people over the course of the first year of ‘it’s great that this town has the Arts Center and has Merely Players and has the Fort and the high school, but I think there’s room for more,’ he said , adding that when the time was right at DAC, “I said, ‘Well, I had this idea of ​​a real, in-house, sustainable theater company in town, because there are more of us and we want to all play.

Thus, DART was born and theater kicked off, Lythgoe said — in fact, the group is already looking beyond what’s currently planned. The name, he says, is a small throwback to Durango’s repertoire.

“(We) always have something going on in the building with the youth programs, with all of our main stage shows, plus the theatre…and the writing projects, there’s always something going on, so technically, maybe it’s not a ‘two-kind of shows-at-once rep’… I think it qualifies because we’re always working on something, we’re always creating, there’s always something back in the pipeline, and even now we’re starting to think about next season already, so it’s kind of unbelievable and pretty daunting, but wonderful. I’m so excited to be able to direct this with Tess – she’s just a fantastic partner to do this with.

DART will kick off its inaugural season with performances of Sam Shepard’s “True West,” which will premiere March 11, 12, and 13 at the DAC Theater, 802 East Second Ave. “True West” explores the relationship between the Austin brothers, a screenwriter (played by Geoff Johnson) and his older brother Lee (played by Jeff Graves).

“Sam Shepard writes this kind of weird underbelly of the world so well, it’s just these people with their issues, but they’re real,” Lythgoe said. “It’s also this theatrical performance that everyone can see something in these two, three or four characters – something about real life, something about this real West, this real feeling of what it’s like to “to be kind of not normal and just kind of alive. And that kind of being a little bit about the industry, about writing a screenplay, it’s just a lot of fun.”

DART is looking for people to get involved as cast and crew – “I want it to be everyone,” Lythgoe said. Auditions will be held later this month for cast and crew.

“We want people in the company, we want people to help out and play and sit in the cabin and run the lights and the sound and come in and build sets and, like a real sense of – go do your work during the day and come and play at night at the theatre,” he said.

In addition to “True West,” the theater also plans to perform “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged),” “Belleville,” “Danny and the Deep Blue Sea,” and “The Rocky Horror Show.” Repertoire members are also working on a new piece; “Theater for Young Audiences,” the 12th annual 10-minute PlayFest and second 24hr. Theatre, as well as the “Wish You Were Here” postcard project, classes and more.

Audition for the Durango Arts Repertory Theater

The Durango Arts Center has a new theater company that will have projects of all types throughout the year.

Auditions will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on March 19 and from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on March 21 at the DAC.

Actors will be required to audition for the company with a standard monologue package of two contrasting pieces totaling no more than 2 minutes. Separate musical auditions for “Rocky Horror” will take place at the end of the summer.

Directors, writers, designers, managers, etc. can submit a resume and letter about their theatrical experience and an interview will be scheduled separately.

Performances will include “True West”, “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare” (abridged), “Belleville”, “Danny and the Deep Blue Sea” and “The Rocky Horror Show”, as well as a new play, Theater for Young Audiences, the 12th annual PlayFest 10 minutes, the second 24h. Theatre, Wish You Were Here postcard project, classes and more.

To visit Durangoarts.org for information on auditions and submissions.

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