Whatever happened to community theater auditions for casting a play; in fact, what’s happened to Albert Lea Community Theatre itself?

It appears, from what I’ve been told, that the players for the February play, “The Gin Game,” had been cast without any auditions being held and, also, that the first week of the play has been canceled due to “unfortunate circumstances.”

I feel that the explanation given for the cancellations of the first week of “The Gin Game” is very unsatisfactory to the general public and, also, to the season ticket holders (of which I am one) who have a right to know why the play they were planning on going to at that time had been canceled. (Due to “unfortunate circumstances” doesn’t appear to be a valid reason.) How will the season ticket holders be reimbursed for a show they weren’t able to see on a certain date?

What kind of board of directors does Albert Lea Community Theatre have (and I use the word “community” loosely) as it appears these days not to actually mean community theater! How active are they in working with the community (through window notices, newspaper notices, radio announcements or anything else to let the public know about auditions, the plays, the characters needed) for the betterment of ACT?

Did the thought come to mind that putting Marion Ross’ name on the theatre would promote community theater? It appears that it didn’t.

So, even though she’s a very good actress and comedian, what does Albert Lea Community Theatre have to do with Marion Ross? That she lived here for eight years? Her donations? Look at what the theater people of ACT have donated to our community theatre — 46 years of participation.

In 1965, when Dr. John Campbell started the Albert Lea Community Theatre, it was just that, a group with participation from the whole community in all aspects of theater.

I know, because I was one of the 40 people who attended that first meeting held at the Southwest Junior High Auditorium. And, as far as canceling a play went, Campbell always told his cast members, “that the only time a show will be cancelled is because of your death!”

From that time on and through the time ACT moved from Southwest Junior High School to the present theater (in the ’80s), the community was involved with ACT. Not anymore; it has long since gone downhill, and it’s been getting worse all the time.

I wonder how much longer ACT will be around without good community participation; after all, it’s community participation that keeps community theater alive.

Lee Bangert

Albert Lea