Sam Bass Community Theater

Sam Bass Community Theater

Written by Katherine Kennedy Wednesday, 07 March 2007

Theater group prompts local performance arts

Sam Bass Community Theatre is Round Rock’s only live theater. In its 25th season, the organization is trying to develop an appreciation for theater in the city.

“We perform ten spotlight performances and 14 main stage performances a year,” SBCT treasurer Michael Johnson said. “We are trying hard to reach the residents of Round Rock. We want them to know there is never a bad seat, and they will enjoy our performances.”

The Old Depot Stage was the original depot for the railroad that ran through Round Rock, beginning in 1876.

“We are trying to re-emphasize that this was Round Rock’s depot for years,” Johnson said. “We have created a new logo that incorporates a steam engine so that people are aware of the uniqueness of our venue.”

The board is made up entirely of volunteers, and the cast consists of volunteers and actors from the greater theater community.

“The board is selective in asking people to serve. We need dedicated people who are willing to spend their time and are able to work well together,” Johnson said. “Anyone who is interested in acting should show up for auditions. We have had people who have never been on stage before. We depend on junior high and high school students to be our technicians and be a part of the set crew.”

Education is important to SBCT. The organization tries to get the youth involved and keep the community informed about theater.

“We have several educational programs, but the chief among them is the Youth Guild program. We teach youth all aspects of theater including acting, lighting design, costume design, set design and stage-managing. Each year, we also have a summer acting camp,” SBCT president Frank Benge said.

The theater awards the Paul and Addy Prior Memorial Scholarship to at least one graduating area senior to help with college expenses.

This coming season, they will be offering an adult Master Class in Vaudeville and Melodrama. They also offer a Director’s Workshop for those interested in becoming a director.

The SBCT board believes community theater is important to the city. Having the residents get involved with the program is one of their goals.

“In some cases, it is where the new work is being done. Broadway costs have made it virtually impossible to mount a new ‘unknown’ work,” Johnson said. “We are a bit different than most of the Austin area theaters in that we do the ‘classics’ that a lot of theaters no longer do. I also think that theater is important to society. It’s a shared experience that is unlike going to the movies and in many cases more real and immediate, depending on the work presented.”

Recently, the Round Rock Art Society was created to help the organization seek funding.

“I think having a voice is essential for any organization seeking funding,” Johnson said. “I’m hoping that the society will help the city council understand the value of our organization and why we need their financial support.”

Tickets are $15, or $13 for seniors and students. Reservations can be made for upcoming shows online at sambasstheatre.org, or by calling the theater at 244-0440 or through e-mail to Reservations@SamBassTheatre.com.

Sam Bass Community Theatre, 600 Lee St., Round Rock, TX 78664, 512-244-0440 •www.sambasstheatre.org