Community Theater

Modern society is plagued by fragmentation. The various sectors of our communities - businesses, schools, social service organizations, churches, government - do not work together. They exist in their own worlds. As do so many individual citizens, who long for connection but end up marginalized, their gifts overlooked, their potential contributions lost.

As a response to the increasing violence in our culture, the widening ideological divides, and the growing gap in economic well-being, there is greater awareness that a deeper sense of community is desperately needed. But even as we acknowledge the need to build community, the dominant on-the-ground practices about how to engage people, civically and organizationally, remain essentially unchanged. We still believe community is built with better messaging, more persuasion, and social events for people to get to know each other better. All of which is naïve.

When 12-year-old Jax Ember signs up to help at the run-down Trillberry Community Theater, he expects bad lighting and old costumes... not flickering ghosts, creepy whispers, and warnings scrawled in dust. But something — or someone — is haunting the stage. An actress vanished decades ago during rehearsal. Now her story is clawing its way back into the spotlight. Alongside his best friends Maya and Leo, Jax will have to outsmart spooky shadows, decode forgotten clues, and face down a phantom with unfinished business... all before opening night.

Essie Cobb, senior sleuth, and her three gal pals Opal, Marjorie, and Fay are playing cards (and causing trouble) in the all-purpose room at the Happy Haven Retirement Home. Not even having to use walkers to get around will stop these ladies from getting into trouble! A one-act play based on the Essie Cobb Senior Sleuth mysteries by Patricia Rockwell. This play may be produced by amateur groups without a royalty payment.

In 1978, when Jamiyla was two years old, her mother, Ummi, quit her job, converted to Islam with her husband, and moved into an exclusive Muslim society in Brooklyn. Once inside the Community, the family was separated by its powerful and charismatic leader, Dwight York, who was hiding behind the name Imam Isa. Instead of the devotional refuge they’d imagined, the Community was a nightmare of controlled abuse and unspeakable secrets. Forty years later, Jamiyla was ready to excavate and understand a past buried in bad dreams, disturbing memories, and inexplicable rage.

A small seaside town, two drifters, three marriages in trouble, secrets, hurt hearts, drinking problems, and an old theater. What could they all have in common? Vera is trying to keep her cafe going and raise five boys while her husband is MIA. Olivia's husband is an unemployed drunk and she's a housewife running out of savings to pay the bills. Frank is suffering a husband with a crushed ego after his acting career is ended in Hollywood. Brian's daughter is tired of drifting and wants a normal life, but Brian is trying to outrun his wife's death. Rhonda has a secret that tortures her. ...

Bread and Puppet Theater: A Complete Guide to the History, Art, and Legacy of America’s Radical Puppet Troupe explores one of the most important and enduring voices in political performance art. Founded by Peter Schumann in 1963, Bread and Puppet combined giant puppets, ritual, music, and fresh-baked bread to create a theater of resistance. This book traces the troupe’s journey from its origins in New York City’s countercultural ferment to its long-standing home in Vermont, where it hosted the legendary Domestic Resurrection Circus and inspired audiences from around the world. ...

Shep Carson got his last warning from Renke Stoltz but Master Carson isn't one to back down. His home, family and friends are being targeted and his patience is wearing thin. When Cody and Johnny are hurt, Shep's cop instincts kick in and he goes after Stoltz.

Out in the Spotlight: Broadway Musicals and the LGBTQ+ Community Broadway has always been a stage for transformation—but for the LGBTQ+ community, it’s also been a sanctuary for self-expression, a site of resistance, and a platform for voices too often silenced. Out in the Spotlight traces the evolution of queer representation in musical theater, from subtle subtext and coded characters to the bold, unapologetic storytelling we see today. Written by a lifelong theater lover and accomplished musician, this book offers a passionate, insider’s look at how Broadway has reflected—and ...

299 Days: The Community, the third book in the 299 Days series, reunites Grant Matson with his family after his wife, children, and in-laws accept that the only way to survive the Collapse is to flee the comfort of their suburban lives and join him at his isolated cabin in the woods. With riots becoming more violent, power outages more widespread, and the military crumbling, Grant and others throughout Washington State realize they must organize if they want to endure.

Inspired by a true event, the tale of a duck family waiting in the wings for their moment in the spotlight—from the #1 bestselling mother-daughter team of musical icon Julie Andrews and author Emma Walton Hamilton! Mr. and Mrs. Puddleduck have found the perfect place to nest: a cozy planter by...

Was murder part of the game? Seventeen-year-old Kat McDonough grew up with theater in her blood - and a penchant for make-believe. More than a decade older, Seth Mazzaglia was well-known in the community theater circle of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. He, too, had a rich inner life - and he soon had Kat convinced that they were soul mates. To intensify their bond, Seth lured Kat into a world of violent sex and role-playing, where she was his slave. Enter Lizzi Marriott, the new girl in town. And when she accepts an invitation to Kat and Seth's apartment....

From bestselling author Lisa Graff, this important coming-of-age story follows a thirteen-year-old with a mysterious scar on her face—and a big secret she feels pressured to keep. Fallon Little has a secret—and it’s not how she got the enormous scar that divides her face in two...

Feel the rhythm of your local community with "Unveiling the Local Artscape," the ultimate guide to the hidden cultural jewels in your neighborhood. Do your local galleries, theaters, and music performances pique your curiosity? Then you're moments away from diving into this immersive guide that takes the reader through each sector of the local art world with comprehensive, engaging, and enlightening content. This guide begins with helpful tips for discovering local arts and culture, providing an intimate view of your community's cultural wealth. Experience it, don't just read about it. Our ...

Andrew Clark and his family moved to a new community in Knoxville, Tennessee with the hopes of being in a more secured area. He picked what seemed to be the perfect gated community where no one had access to get in or out without using a gate key card. The moment he and his family moved in, a cute little girl from the neighborhood would come knocking on his door every day asking for dog food. Being who he was, he would give it to her, but something wasn't adding up as his mind wondered.