Bonnie's Column

Get Social With Senior Theatre!

For all theatre groups, there's a melding of performers and crew, a true esprit de corps. But with Senior Theatre, I feel it's even more important. With older adults who have experienced loss after loss, Senior Theatre is a safe place to share and talk about things that are so personal they can't even tell their children. The bonds made are extra strong. And extra important. 

The Importance of Social Connection

And while another new poll shows that loneliness, isolation, and a lack of social contact has finally started to decline among older adults, the current rate exceeds pre-pandemic levels.

Senior Theatre - One Solution!

What can you do?

• Stay active in Senior Theatre! Always remember that the main purpose is to do theatre. As important as the social aspects are, never lose sight of your theatrical dreams.
• Reach out to others and invite them to participate in your Senior Theatre group. There's a place for everyone. In addition to the stage, think of how to involve others backstage, in marketing, managing the house, and more. 
• Consider ways to reach out to those in your community who seem isolated. 
• If you're a director, one of the best ways to be inclusive and welcoming is to hold a Senior Theatre class. Make sure to emphasize that "no experience is necessary" and that "memorization is not required."
• Reduce barriers to participation by holding classes in an easy-to-get-to location, and during the day. For more ideas, see our TipSheet, Teaching Senior Theatre Classes. 
• When you perform, be sure to invite families, friends, and caregivers to the show.
• Celebrate with a great cast party!

Be aware of loneliness, spot the signs, and help yourself and others gain the benefits and social connections found in Senior Theatre. It's good for everyone's health!

Bonnie L. Vorenberg
President, ArtAge Publications' Senior Theatre Resource Center

Our Plays are Being Performed!

Here are just a few highlights.

This month, we noticed that Senior Theatre groups in Florida knocked it out of the park with exceptional productions. What is particularly delightful is the wide variety of shows being staged! These include:

• Shenanigans at the Blue Pelican Inn - Always a crowd-pleaser, thanks to the quirky lodgers and the hospitable owners. 
• Matzo Balls - A great comedy featuring the sleuthing skills of Shirley Holmes and Dottie Watson. 
• Under A Full Moon in November - The consequences of the Big Blackout in 1965 were never so interesting!

Meanwhile, in Missouri, audiences related to the intensely competitive game of Bingo and laughed out loud at the ladies fighting over the prizes in Bingo Ladies Gone Bad.

After watching performances of Noah, Minnesotans were thinking about their own experiences with boats, wilderness, and difficult building inspectors.

The audiences in Alabama really got into their role of making the sound effects in Mr. E's Radio Spiritz Show and found the comedic mystery a real cliffhanger.

March Sale

Favorite Cousins
2 men, 2 women, 20 minute comedy
Two older 'cousins' escape together on a cruise. In Old Folks Rock: A Celebration of Vitality.

Romance Senior Style: The Series
3-4 men, 4-6 women, 65 minutes
Two comedies, set on the deck of a cruise ship, poking fun at senior-style romance. Hilarious!

Not Kate or Leo 
1 man, 1 woman, 10 minute drama
Isidor and Ida Straus lost their lives prematurely on the deck of The Titanic, but their love, arguments, and an additional consolation survive the wave.

The Pie Ladies in Deep Water
3 either, 8 women, 30–40 minute comedy
A dream vacation turns into a philanthropic enterprise with some unexpected twists. The third in The Pie Ladies Series.

Molly Brown! She was Unsinkable
Cast of 9, 10-15 minutes
Full of spirit, this is Molly Brown's tale of rags to riches and her courage when the Titanic was sinking. Royalty free!

Hurry! Sale ends April 2!