by Monica Chamness
Staff Writer
Want to see the hottest play on Broadway? Check out the FCCJ Artist Series. Want to hear classical music? Try the symphony. Looking for obscure theater? Venture to First Coast Theatre Arts in Riverside, which targets baby boomers hungry for a taste of the unconventional.
“Most other community theaters put on well-known, liked plays,” said Treasurer Eric Sorensen.
“We do classics, but our mainstay is to bring things that are not done much or new things that are not done at all,” added Bill Kroner, artistic director. “Some of our material is bizarre.”
“This group is not afraid to do something new and different,” added vice president Harriett Leathem, Sorensen’s wife.
First Coast Theatre Arts started in 1993 at Murray Hill Presbyterian Church. After four years, the church needed the space so the group went in search of a new home. In less than a decade, it migrated from The Riverside House (headquarters for the Junior League) to Springfield Women’s Club, Fuel Coffeehouse, the back room of Rainbow & Stars, Wesley Manor and the Unitarian Universalist Church of Jacksonville in Arlington.
After a two-year search to find a building, the group repainted the walls, placed chairs donated by the Orange Park Theater and installed risers. The eight-foot ceiling prevented them from building an actual stage.
“This is just the size we need until we grow,” said Kroner. “I’ve seen groups come in and try a big thing, but just because you spend $30,000 doesn’t mean people will come.”
Not having a comfortable budget like other community theaters such as Theatre Jacksonville can be a mixed blessing.
A lack of funding means smaller productions without the fancy extras. On the flip side, the group has a lot of liberty in what goes on stage.
But things are improving for the troupe. The Cultural Council has granted funds for productions and one of First Coast’s members volunteered to pay their insurance premiums.
“Now, we’re very secure,” said Sorensen. “Our rent is paid through the end of the year and our operating expenses are practically nil. On the other hand, we need money for the first of the year. We’re still looking for corporate sponsors.”
An unfortunate consequence of their bohemian ways is a lack of identity with any particular segment of the community. Getting folks to participate in community theater can be an arduous process if the theater is not actually part of the community where they are working.
“We’ve been trying to do it all: directing, acting, sending out mailings,” said Kroner. “It’s a bit overwhelming.”
Volunteers are needed to work the door, lights and help publicize events. Their new neighbors, both merchants and residents, appear eager to lend a hand. Posters touting the theater’s productions are plastered in storefronts throughout Riverside.
First Coast Theatre Arts aims to appeal to working adults who would participate in a theater if they had the time. Rehearsals are on flexible schedules to be more accommodating. Only two or three nights a week are required and rehearsals don’t start until 8 p.m., giving participants time to eat dinner and handle their personal affairs.
The cozy confines of the theater — actually a large room retooled with risers and outfitted with stage lights and a curtain — bring the players into sharp focus. Unlike most venues, any seat in the house gives the onlooker a clear view of the actors’ facial expressions.
The small width of the stage — it measures only 16 feet — cuts down on the scope of the theater. Large scale productions with a huge cast are not possible.
“The largest production we ever had was with 17 people,” said Kroner. “The norm is six to eight.”
Despite mechanics and manpower restrictions, the group manages to stage a wide range of events, including comedy and drama, new and classic pieces and small musicals.
Currently on stage is “That Championship Season.” Each season runs from September to June and offers five or six plays. Open auditions will be held this fall for the new season.