Notes from the Director (Collin Sloan)
Long time no see! After nearly 3 years, The Spotlight Performers have returned to the Flagler Playhouse. The return of this tiny company comes as a surprise to a lot of us, myself included, who had nearly thought that between the devastation of our old theater catching flames and needing to finally finish off my degree that I may have to tuck this chapter of my life and love away. All this to say, I am overwhelmed with emotions from the response and support all around and truly thankful for everyone who's welcomed us back with open arms. Flagler Playhouse has been my home for the arts for half of my life now, quite literally the first place I ever performed, and being welcomed back into this space so warmly means more to me than words could describe. With coming back, I am also now putting a lot into perspective especially with this production. The cast and crew we have for this show is the culmination of friendships and connections made over the 10 year life that this company has had. Between the person who I first had the conversation with that sparked this dream, Jamie Irvine, working sound for us to several actors I can warmly call friends from every production over the years (Lora, Caroline, and Abigail to name a few) I am really moved by what can come from a mutual love for theatre. On the flip side, the amount of new faces that have found their way to us even after being away for so long have been a joy to work with and meet, as I can't wait to see what the future holds both inside this company and in the community.
Our production of Into the Woods is unconventional, as we've stripped down to the basics both literally and figuratively, accomodating to the space but also putting that twist that this company loves to do oh so much. When conceptualizing this production, it felt right that with such an intimate space, formatting the actors as storytellers is what will bring the true heart and message of these fairytales out. Our goal with this production was to really let you as the audience member use your imagination to picture these stories coming to life, and humanizing these characters who were so fantastical when we were growing up. Whether it be finding comfort in Jack's ambition, finding strength in Cinderella's determination, or finding joy in Red's wit, I hope you take something with you from this production that resonates. No one is truly ever alone, and we are thankful to have you as our company today. As always, thank you for supporting the arts in your community.
