My name is Sarah and I, with this group of crazy talented and inspiring individuals, have put together this show. For you. I’ve been working and performing with Lake Plains Players for the better part of the last 12 years. I’ve been seen more on stage than behind it’s curtain. Tonight, I make my first solo directorial debut on a show I chose myself- Bright Star. A show I believe in, and one that I know you’ll believe in too!
Bright Star takes place between the years of 1923-4 and 1945-6 in North Carolina. It follows the lives of Alice, a fiery, ambitious writer; and Billy, a 20-something, wholesome, aspiring writer. We watch their lives unfold, side by side, in an unexpected way. The show jumps back and forth between the life of a young, unfettered, Alice, with the whole world ahead of her; and a grown Alice, who is older, wiser and the lead editor of The Asheville Southern Journal. Billy, back from the war, heads to Asheville, to get his foot in the door at the Asheville Southern Journal. As they learn more about each other, secrets from Alice’s past life are revealed.
In the early months of 2016, Bright Star hit Broadway. I, like most every other theater person, was in the throes of learning and memorizing every lyric to Hamilton - which debuted nearly a year before. When the Tony awards arrived I, again, like every other theater person, tuned in to watch my favorites win or lose and to judge what outfits their stylists had chosen. That night, the cast of Bright Star performed the opening number, If You Knew My Story and I was hooked. I didn’t know the story, or the characters, the plot, or its twists; the song though, felt like home.
Musical theater feels like my home. I chose to direct this show because of it’s down to earth songwriting; the way the bluegrass tones feel like the open fields of the country we see all around us. As I learned more and more about this show, and saw a local production of it, I fell deeper in love. This show pulls on my heartstrings and moves me emotionally in a way not many other productions have. Its themes of found love, loss, autonomy, and forgiveness are so impactful and wildly relevant to today. This musical is a celebration of how our lives are always interconnected and how what we need, eventually finds it was back to us.
Now, before I go, I’d be remiss if I didn’t shout out some of the people I could not have done this without. Lance, this one is for you. I made this for us and while I’m sad that you couldn’t be here to celebrate this labor of love, I know you’re watching and I hope you’re proud. Sam, Amelia, my mom, my friends (who never say no when I ask), thank you for your support, your love, and reading long blocks of texts and taking late night phone calls. Scott, Becky, Maddy, Robyn, Antonio, Dan, Gabby, and Lake Plains Players - thank you for your support, for this amazing opportunity to show my heart and to explore a new side of theater. My cast, crew, the musicians, JNet, thank you for helping me build something so meaningful and so close to me. I am bursting at the seams with pride for all of you. And to you, our supporters, thank you for spending your time with us and letting us tell you this story.
“A blessing unequivocal, truly it’s a miracle. Faith restored and hope secured, at last.”
Sarah
SPECIAL THANK YOU TO:
Barker Central School District
Royalton Hartland School District
MadVibes716
Lockport Stageworks
May Crochet
Jake Riemer
Drew Burke
Darrell Oakes
Sam Hill
