South Carolina Theatre Association Host Cultivate Series Film Screening

The South Carolina Theatre Association Executive Board is thrilled to announce their first session in their Cultivate Series "Celebrating Community in Theatre" a forum and screening of the documentary film "Janey Makes a Play." The series was created to connect our members and associates across the state in a variety of educational, networking, and forums.

The first in this statewide series will be held on Tuesday, October 16th at 7:00PM and is being hosted by the Foothills Playhouse in Easley, South Carolina. Tickets are $5 per person and open to anyone who has an interest in community theatre and learning the story of Janey. This award winning documentary tells the story of 90-year-old Janey as she writes and directs her latest original, socially relevant community theatre production for her small town. Viewers will experience the creative process unfold with a cast of colorful townspeople, as they engage with the arts amidst a local economy devastated by the recent recession.

The documentary was written and filmed by Janey's grandson, Jared who captures the true community in theatre. Participants will share in a pre and post screening discussion about the impact of Community Theatre and specifically how it aims to:

• Bringing people together to be a part of something bigger than ourselves
• Using the powerful medium of storytelling to express what it means to be human
• Participating in and attending theatre as a way to contribute to our community's education, literacy, and creativity
• Sparking economic revitalization in your own community

"I am very excited about beginning our "Celebrating Community in theatre - cultivate theatre" one month prior to our annual Community Theatre Festival," Anita Sleeman, SCTA Executive Director said. "I am passionate about SCTA and community theatre in South Carolina, and by holding these screenings and forums across the state we know it will provide a wonderful opportunity to celebrate what we know community theatre brings."

"As the Community Theatre Division Chair, I am thrilled to be making this series a reality," said Noah Taylor. "We know community theatres bring such good things to their communities and we believe bringing them together to celebrate this documentary and their work will provide additional advocacy for the work we do."

Tickets are $5 each and can be purchased on our website at https://www.southcarolinatheatre.org/event/community-events#id=132&cid=1134&wid=5601&type=Cal or at the door.

The South Carolina Theatre Association is an organization that brings together theatre groups - Educational Theatre, Community Theatre, Professional Theatre, and High School Theatre - to improve and further the cultural growth of theatrical art by mutual aid and advancement and stimulation of public interest. Our mission is to connect, create and cultivate theatre in South Carolina. SCTA provides numerous programs and services to theatre practitioners and organizations across the state including advocacy and professional development. For more information and updates on our events, programs and other initiatives, visit www.SouthCarolinaTheatre.org.

SCTA will hosts its 52nd annual convention to be held November 8 - 11 at the School of the Arts at Anderson University. Several events will be open to the public including an additional screening of this documentary "Janey Makes A Play". Check out our website for information at www.SouthCarolinaTheatre.org About the organization

The South Carolina Theatre Association was founded in September 1967 and is an organization that brings together theatre groups - Educational Theatre, Community Theatre, Professional Theatre, and High School Theatre - to improve and further the cultural growth of theatrical art by mutual aid and advancement and stimulation of public interest. SCTA hosts an annual convention each fall as well as many other events. The 2018 SCTA 52nd Theatre Convention "Create Your World" will be held November 8-11 at the School of the Arts at Anderson University, Anderson, South Carolina.

Janey Makes a Play was directed and produced by Jared Callahan. Janey Makes A Play is an award-winning documentary film that follows a captivating ninety-year-old woman as she rallies her small town to create a theatre production about the Great Depression amidst the real erosion of the town's local economy. Janey has spent her life in the theatre, committing the past decade to writing and directing original plays for Rio Vista, California, a picturesque small town on the Sacramento River Delta. Janey continually battles inconsistent rehearsal attendance, people moving away or quitting, actors memorizing their lines last-minute, and sets that are not completely assembled. If they don't sell tickets for their performance, the troupe will not have enough money to continue to exist. Transported into rural America, we witness the challenges of pulling off a high-caliber production with an eccentric cast of characters.

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