RIFTS IN TIME Enters its Next Evolution at Placer Rep

Storytelling will take center stage on May 22 at the next interactive adventure theater pilot program show known as RIFTS IN TIME that performs the fourth Sunday of each month in Roseville, CA. RIFTS IN TIME shares strange but true history with audiences and invites them to participate in this storytelling adventure alongside professional performers who are just as in the dark as the audience is regarding what will happen next. The evening's host is T.S. Forsyth, who uses her storytelling skills, professional playwrighting background, and game master experience to engage the room in a spellbinding tale.

"We have been so fortunate to have incredibly engaged audiences who not only participate in a variety of ways but have stayed after the show to provide invaluable feedback to help us continue to develop this pilot program," said T.S. Forsyth. Recently, the audiences' questions and comments helped Placer Rep to recognize a core misperception that RIFTS IN TIME is an improv show. Not the case, according to Forsyth. "This show is storytelling, and I create a storybook using PowerPoint. RIFTS IN TIME then uses a smattering of role-playing game mechanics adapted from the role-playing game Tales of the Arabian Nights to keep the story dynamic, and a pinch of improv here and there to bring key moments to life," said Forsyth.

"Our wonderful audiences provided the necessary feedback for us to continue development of this pilot program, to tweak and adapt our processes and presentation of this monthly show, to better communicate our intentions and support our storytelling," said Kevin Foster, Outreach Director for Placer Rep. May audiences are going to find several small but very important changes to this program to continue its development from a pilot program to a polished and seasoned monthly show. According to Placer Rep, the goal is to develop this program and grow its participation so that it merits the use of a theatrical space and theatrical lighting to further enhance its magic.

Core actors with RIFTS IN TIME include Anne Merino, professional performer, novelist, and faculty at William Jessup University, professional performer and educator Kevin Foster, and professional performer Matt Heyer, all of whom are known to Placer Rep audiences for their performances in the award-winning 2021 season, including An Evening with Sherlock Holmes and The Jane Austen Soiree.

Audiences are also key performers at RIFTS IN TIME. From simply raising their hand to vote for what should happen, to suggesting an idea, to jumping up to perform one of the non-player characters in the storyline, audiences are involved as little or as much as they want to be. "Audiences are collaborators at RIFTS IN TIME. Each month their suggestions change the storyline or the fate of a character," said performer Matt Heyer.

To allow for dynamic flexibility in RIFTS IN TIME from audience participation and actor improvisation to role-playing game elements, T.S. Forsyth develops a dynamic digital storybook. "If a character dies, I can delete that character from the slides. If the performers go off the beaten track, I have extra slides for the variety of directions they might choose to go, plus various generic background slides that fit each month's show. There is always a slide I can turn to and storytelling and role-playing game elements I can employ to concoct unplanned moments based upon the dynamic twists served up to me, as storyteller, by my collaborators -- namely the audience and the performers," said Forsyth.

RIFTS IN TIME next performs on Sunday, May 22, 2022 at 7 PM. Currently, performances are located at 401B Vernon Street, Holistic Lighthouse meeting room, Roseville, on the backside of First Bank. Reservations are recommended, as seating is limited. For more information, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/242594234887

Placer Repertory Theater (https://PlacerRep.org) is a regional award-winning professional theater company that servers Placer County and the greater Sacramento metro area. A 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, Placer Rep's mission is to offer educational and quality-of-life enriching professional performing arts and cultural programs relevant to the people of Placer County, while supporting local organizations and acting as an economic engine for the area. Follow Placer Repertory Theater on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: @PlacerRep, and subscribe to our YouTube Channel to access our digital recordings.

To post a comment, you must register and login.