One act plays coming to Taber this spring

By Ian Croft

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

news@tabertimes.com

Taber Players is once again hosting a theatrical evening, but this time offering their patrons a three for one deal. 

The evening’s entertainment will contain three one acts performed back to back to back. The artistic director of the 3 One Act Plays, and director of ‘The Break Up’ by Julia Cho, Jocelyn Steinborn, was able to provide some information on this upcoming event, and why it’s different from their normal fall production.

“Before COVID shut the world down we had a variety show called ‘Words, Women, and Song’, and it was performed around International Women’s Day,” said Steinborn. “We just stumbled upon that format to have one acts and live music. The idea now is maybe have a fall show which is a comedy or a drama, and then the spring show which would be in this format. It was really well received by the audiences so we thought we would resurrect it.”

Following this Steinborn provided a summary of each of the three plays that will be performed.

“‘The Break Up’ there are three actors,” said Steinborn. “The two main actors are mother and daughter, and it is (about) how the daughter is finding that her life has become more complicated as she has become a grown child. She seeks to create some distance, between her and mom. Essentially creating a break up like you would have with a boyfriend. There is a scene where her boyfriend breaks up with her, and that’s mirrored in the mom. That’s why it’s called ‘The Break Up’, it’s her breaking up with her mom.”

“The second play is called ‘A Dog’s Life’ by Pam Valentine, and it follows four dogs in a adoption facility for animals. It talks about their life and human qualities so they’re not seen as dogs, but they have definite dog characteristics. It’s a day in the life of what it might be like to be in a facility like that, or just hearing them recount some of their more fond days with their owners.”

“The third play is called ‘Alternative Accommodation’ (also by Pam Valentine), and it is about a mom recently widowed and her three grown children. Her three grown children have come and made a plan to meet at her house with the intention of getting her to sell her house and move to a retirement home.”

Three theatrical productions are not the only entertainment that will be on display for this event as Taber Players will be having a live band performing as well. Steinborn spoke on the band and the plans that they have for live music during this event.

“We have a live band called Olivia Blue, with some of the leads in the band very easily recognized members of our community. The plan is to have music before the first one act as people enter, then the one act, and then they are going to play while the crew changes the set for the next one act play. Then it continues like that where it is music, a play, live music, a play, intermission, live music, play, live music as a guest leaves or they can stay and listen to the band. They’re excellent to listen to, and really fun and blue-sy. I think the audience will love them.”

These one act plays will be performed at the Taber Legion and will be running from March 26 to the 30. Tickets will be available at taberplayer.ca as well as a limited supply of tickets at the door for $20. The doors themselves will open at 7 p.m. on each night. Steinborn spoke about the odd schedule that this event will be following.

“There is one difference just because of dates and conflicts,” said Steinborn. “We need to have an opening night on a Sunday. We’ve never performed on a Sunday before, so when we’re usually dark we are opening. It’s a little bit different for us and I hope the audience will quickly adapt to that change.”