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By Michael Warren

Lakeside Little Theatre – Season 50

 

 

front-rowMy review of Blood Relations will not appear till March, so here’s an overview of the current season and a look forward to the prospects for next season. Season 50 is quite a milestone for LLT and some special events are being planned. 

So far this season has featured some excellent plays. At the time of writing, Blood Relations has not yet hit the boards – however, it promises to be an interesting show with a unique take on the Lizzie Borden mystery. Theories abound as to who committed the brutal murders of Lizzie’s stepmother and father. Lizzie herself was found not guilty by the jury at her trial, but if she didn’t do it, then who did? No one else was ever accused of the crime. We are fortunate to welcome the author, Canadian playwright Sharon Pollock, who is visiting Ajijic to see her own play and is giving a playwriting seminar at the end of January.

In November we saw a remarkable stage adaptation of the cult movie Local Hero, and this was followed by The Heiress, one of the best dramas I have seen at Lakeside. The third play of the season Over The River And Through The Woods was also much appreciated. Rounding out the season is Barbara Clippinger’s original musical creation Hooray For Hollywood! at the end of February, and a sophisticated comedy Social Security which will appear at the end of March and the beginning of April.  

It is truly amazing that such a high standard of theater is maintained in this little Mexican town. LLT is the oldest English-speaking theater group in Mexico, and is about to enter its 50th season of theatrical entertainment. This is quite an achievement and a legacy to us from those visionaries who saw, many years ago, a desire and a need for such an activity here at Lakeside. The upcoming 2014-15 Golden Season will feature some special events which are still in the planning stage, in addition to a challenging program of six (or more?) stage plays.

The group boasts some 650 members, many of whom act or direct or assist in many different ways backstage. Few people realize how much work and dedication goes into staging a play – it can also be a very rewarding experience. If you have previous theatrical interest, or even if you haven’t trod the boards in the past and simply want to participate in some way, you should not hesitate to audition or contact the Lakeside Little Theatre. They will find a place for you onstage or backstage to contribute to a production. It really can be fun!